People on long-haul flights should get up and move around — or at least stretch their legs — at least once every two hours to avoid the risk of deep vein thrombosis, a physician said.
Statistics released by Taiwan Landseed Hospital, which operates medical centers at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport and Taipei International Airport (Songshan airport), show that heart attacks, seizures and strokes are the most common types of emergencies affect passengers.
Hsu Shih-Tien (許詩典), Landseed Hospital senior deputy superintendent and director of the Taoyuan medical center, said that although deep vein thrombosis is relatively rare, every traveler should be aware of the risk and the symptoms.
The condition occurs when blood clots form in one or more of the deep veins in the body, usually in the leg. It is sometimes called “economy class syndrome.”
Hsu cited the case of a Thai woman in her 40s, who after arriving in Taiwan last month after about a four-hour flight, suddenly complained of a cold sweat, dizziness, chest pains and difficulty breathing and was immediately taken to the Taoyuan airport’s medical center for emergency treatment.
The woman was diagnosed with a pulmonary embolism — a blood clot in the lungs — caused by deep vein thrombosis, and was hospitalized for five days, Hsu said.
Medical research suggests that sitting in a narrow aircraft seat for just two hours can increase blood viscosity and vascular resistance by 17 percent, leading to an increased risk of deep vein thrombosis, he said.
Although the risks differ according to a person’s general health, medication useage, age, weight and many other factors, Hsu said people taking long flights should stretch their legs or get up to walk for a while at least once every two hours.
He also suggested drinking plenty of water and avoiding excessive amounts of alcohol, which causes dehydration and increases the risk of blood clots, as well as wearing loose-fitting clothing.
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