biology question about blood

Factual Questions
1

I was just curious, how long does it take a blood cell to complete its journey around the body, through the cardiovascular system? Assume a normal pulse rate of between 60-80 beats per minute.

Thanks.

2

On average, it takes about one minute for blood to circulate, i.e. to make one circuit. As you suggest, it varies somewhat according to things like the heart rate and pumping ability of the heart.

3

Thanks Karl!

4

A related question I just thought of, how long would it take a blood clot (a big one, large enough to be fatal) to travel from the farthest point from the heart/lungs/brain to the heart/lungs/brain, given the same pulse rate? I’m guessing it would be about 5 minutes for each but I’m pretty ignorant about biology.

Thanks

5

Well, I’d say also no more than a minute, and probably a lot less.

One cell, a tiny object, could sort of take its time to go from A to B. Maybe a minute.

But a three inch clot has no way, and nowhere, to meander. It would just zip along.

Have you ever had an IV injection of, say, an anesthetic. You were probably out within fifteen seconds of getting it.

So, bottom line: A clot would go from your heart to your brain in < 10 to 15 seconds. A clot would go from your legs to your lungs in a similar amount of time. (If there is a hole in your heart, a clot could go from your legs to your brain in less than 30 seconds, probably less).

6

You da man Karl! thanks a lot.