June 5, 2006
The summer travel season is here; with it, the season for long car trips, long plane rides, and hours of sitting to get to a destination has arrived. "No matter what the
mode of transportation, sitting motionless for long periods may
put some travelers at an increased risk for deep vein thrombosis
(DVT). ..." Deep vein thrombosis? "Deep vein thrombosis
(throm-BO-sis) is a blood clot that forms in a vein deep in the
body. Most deep vein clots occur in the lower leg or thigh. They
also can occur in other parts of the body. If a clot in a vein breaks
off and travels through your bloodstream, it can lodge in your lung.
This is called pulmonary embolism (PUL-mo-ner-e EM-bo-lizm), which
is a very serious condition that can cause death. Blood clots in
the thigh are usually more likely to break off and cause pulmonary
embolism than clots in the lower leg or other parts of the body." Most risk factors for DVT have nothing to do with travel: "Many factors may
increase your risk for deep vein thrombosis: That said, even healthy young adults without other risk factors can be affected by DVT when traveling. "Fitness fanatic Emma
Christoffersen died suddenly from a blood clot brought on by sitting
in a Qantas airline seat for 20 hours during a 10,000-mile journey
from Australia. The 28-year-old from Newport, South Wales, is one
of the youngest victims of deep-veined thrombosis, a sudden condition
that kills dozens of airline passengers each year. ... She collapsed
in the arrival hall at Heathrow airport and died before reaching
hospital. Qantas said her flight from Melbourne to London was completed
in two stages -- a 7.5-hour flight from Melbourne to Singapore,
followed by a 1.5-hour stopover when she would have got off the
plane and then a 13.5-hour flight from Singapore to London. ...
The victim's mother, Ruth, 54, also from Newport, told reporters:
"We were told she died from sitting on the jet for such a long
time. ... Mrs Christoffersen [The victim's mother] said: "I
want every air passenger to know the dangers of this condition and
that it can hit young people.'" If even those in good health with no other risk factors can get DVT, then how can anyone travel without fear? "[P]eople can reduce
their risk of getting DVT, says the American Heart Association (AHA),
by taking some simple precautions on long trips." "'People should not
be afraid to travel,' says Stanley Mohler, M.D., professor emeritus
of aerospace medicine at the Wright State University School of Medicine
in Dayton, Ohio. 'They should just anticipate that they may be inclined
to be immobile,' he says, and take precautions. A two-hour flight
wouldn't be a problem, he says, but a 12-hour flight would be 'a
big problem' if a person sits inactive the entire time. ... 'It's
important for passengers to keep moving their legs to help the blood
flow,' even when waiting in the airport terminal, says Mohler, who
advises walking when possible. 'When you walk, the muscles of the
legs squeeze the veins and move blood to dthe heart.' ... When traveling
by car, 'Don't take a 10-hour trip without stopping every couple
of hours,' says Stein. 'Get out and walk a bit.' Even if you're
the driver,you still need to take walking breaks, he says. 'Pushing
on the gas pedal isn't enough activity even for the one leg.'" The concerns are real, but "People should not be afraid to travel..." Prevention is key.... "[Richard Stein, M.D.]
advises avoiding regular socks with very tight elastic bands at
the top and sitting with your legs crossed for long periods of time,
which constricts the veins. He also urges travelers who can't walk
around frequently to exercise their legs by curling or pressing
the toes down, which causes the muscles to contract and squeeze
on the leg veins, helping to pump the blood along. Airlines, also,
are encouraging passengers to periodically move and stretch their
legs. The Australian carrier Qantas, for example, offers leaflets
with leg exercises that passengers can do in their seats. Qantas
began printing warnings for DVT on its tickets following the highly
publicized death of a 28-year-old woman in October 2000. ..." Even for those who are not flying, many of the same methods can be used to reduce the risks on long car trips. "Wherever possible,
you should: Whether the travelers are retired grandparents, young adults, pre-teens, or somewhere in-between, it is important that they are educated about the risks, prevention, and symptoms of DVT. "Symptoms of DVT,
if present, usually include swelling of the involved extremity with
local tenderness deep within the muscles in the area. If the
DVT occurs in veins such as those in the pelvis there may be no
symptoms. In these cases the first sign of DVT may be one
of the complications mentioned above such as pulmonary embolus.
Therefore, preventing DVT is key to saving injuries and lives.
Prevention is especially important since DVT during long flights
may not allow early medical intervention." Questions of the Week:
Please email me with any ideas or suggestions. I look forward to reading what you have to say. Cindy |
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