What to do about Deep Vein Thrombosis:
Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is when a blood clot develops in a vein deep inside your body, usually in the legs. DVT is dangerous: if the blood clot break off, it could travel through your bloodstream and block a blood vessel elsewhere in your body. If it blocks a blood vessel in your lungs (a condition called a pulmonary embolism) you could die.
You are at higher risk for DVT if you are inactive for a long period of time, such as when you are flying in an airplane, when you are taking a long car trip, or when you are immobilized in bed recovering from surgery. Developing DVT while immobilized in a constricted space on an airplane even has a nickname: “economy class syndrome.”
Your risk for DVT increases if you have several risk factors at the same time. Prolonged immobilization – sitting for periods of 4 hours or more – reduces the circulation in your legs by 50 percent. Smoking damages your blood vessels and doubles your risk of thrombosis. In addition to being immobilized and smoking, other risk factors for DVT include:
• obesity
• varicose veins
• diabetes
• taking birth control pills
• being on hormone therapy
• being over the age of 60
• heart failure
• a genetic predisposition to increased blood clotting
• a previous injury that reduces the blood flow to a part of your body
• being pregnant, or having recently given birth
• having recently had surgery, or suffered a major physical trauma
• cancer, even if you are being treated for it
• a previous history of thrombosis
If you are going to be inactive for a long period of time, frequently exercise your lower leg muscles. Drink plenty of water and avoid alcohol and caffeine. If you have a known predisposition for thrombosis, your doctor might prescribe a mild blood thinner/anticoagulant for a long plane flight – since you can’t stop the plane and take a walk.
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