Title: Blood Clots and Plane Travel- Are You at Risk?<br/>Author: Jon Mark Hirshon<br/><a href='http://umem.org/profiles/faculty/96/'>[Click to email author]</a><hr/><p>
        While sitting on an international flight, ever wonder what your risks are for a blood clot?</p>
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        <strong>General Background:</strong></p>
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        It is estimated that the risk for a deep venous thrombosis (DVT) is 3-12% on a long-haul flight. However, the real incidence is difficult to evaluate, due in part to the lack of consensus about 1) diagnostic tests, and 2) the appropriate time frame to relate a venous thromboembolic event (VTE) to travel.</p>
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        <strong>Risks Factors for VTEs on long-haul flights:</strong></p>
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                General:
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                                stasis: prolonged sitting & crowded conditions</li>
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                                relative hypoxia</li>
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                                dehydration</li>
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                Patient specific:
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                                Age >40</li>
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                                Female gender</li>
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                                Use of estrogen-containing contraceptives/hormone replacement therapy</li>
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                                Obesity</li>
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                                Varicose veins in the legs</li>
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                                Family/personal history of prior VTEs</li>
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                                Active cancer/recent cancer treatment</li>
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        <strong>Bottom Line:</strong></p>
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                Even healthy individuals are at risk on long-haul (>8 hour) flights.</li>
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                The risk increases the longer the flight</li>
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                Current data does not appear to show a risk difference between economy and business class.</li>
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                Avoid dehydration and immobility
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                                Exercise your legs/calf muscles</li>
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                                Drink plenty of fluid</li>
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<fieldset><legend>References</legend>

                <p>
        <a href="http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/dvt/travel.html">http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/dvt/travel.html</a></p>
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        Gavish I, Brenner B.  Air travel and the risk of thromboembolism.  Intern Emerg Med 2011 Apr;6(2):113-6.</p>
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