The number of patients suffering from high blood pressure and heart attacks has been increasing for some years, posing a major challenge to the medical sector. However, a recent study conducted by the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay (IIT, Bombay) claims that regulating blood flow and blood pressure in arteries with the help of magnets could prevent strokes.
Researchers at IIT Bombay used computational architecture to simulate and analyze blood flow patterns. They considered factors such as flow velocity, pressure, and wall shear stress in the arteries. ‘Wall shear stress is the force per unit area exerted on the inner walls of blood vessels in the direction of blood flow.’
Wall shear stress is an important indicator of the health of blood vessels. Excessive wall shear stress can lead to diseases such as atherosclerosis (thickening and hardening of the blood vessel walls). The speed and flow of blood along the vessel wall affect the wall shear stress, said Prof Abhijit Kumar from the Department of Mechanical Engineering, IIT Bombay. Prof Abhijit Kumar led the study.
How the study was done
The researchers created numerical models of arteries and used mathematical equations to study the effect of magnetic fields on narrowed arteries. The magnetic field acts on iron-rich hemoglobin in the blood. Blood flow is affected by the direction of the magnetic field. The researchers measured blood velocity, analyzed the electromagnetic field, and examined the blood's viscosity and flow. The researchers modeled narrowed arteries at different stages and in different sizes.
These included mild 25 percent blocked arteries, moderate 35 percent blocked arteries, and severe/severe 50 percent blocked arteries. When the researchers applied a magnetic field parallel to the blood flow, they found that the blood flow velocity increased. Also, when a magnetic field was applied at right angles to the blood flow, the blood flow velocity decreased. Computer simulations showed that the magnetic field increased blood flow in mildly, moderately and severely blocked arteries by 17 percent, 30 percent and 60 percent, respectively. If the magnetic field is in the direction of blood flow, the pressure near the blockage in a severely narrowed artery decreases.
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Open to the possibility of using magnets in treatment
Magnetic fields regulate blood flow and pressure fluctuations in blocked blood vessels of all sizes. Reduces the risk of plaque rupture. The study found that magnetic fields affect blood flow, pressure, and wall shear stress. This could help control high blood pressure and prevent damage to artery walls.
It has been concluded that magnetic fields effectively alter blood flow and can speed up or slow down blood flow depending on the direction of the magnetic field. This finding opens up the possibility of using magnets for the treatment of heart disease.
More research needed
High and ultra-high magnetic fields have been shown to have both positive and adverse effects in experimental models. Therefore, safety assessment is crucial before use in patient therapy. Given the complexities and challenges of treatment, it will take several more years for such treatments to become widely available, requiring further extensive research, clinical trials, and regulatory approvals. "Careful evaluation is needed to ensure the safety and efficacy of this method," said Prof Kumar.