Blood Clots: Unwelcome travel partners
You’ve been planning your vacation for months, making sure every last detail is set for your well-earned getaway. One thing you probably haven’t planned for is a serious medical condition like deep vein thrombosis (DVT), which can potentially be fatal. Jerome Hines, MD, Cardiologist and Chairman of the Adventist Heart and Vascular Institute on staff at Adventist Hinsdale Hospital explains that taking simple preventive steps can ensure your vacation doesn’t include an unscheduled visit to the hospital.
What causes deep vein thrombosis?
Spending hours sitting in one spot without moving can increase your risk for developing DVT, so resist the temptation to catch up on sleep during your long flight.
“Immobility causes blood clots, which can lead to DVT,” Dr. Hines explains. “Being stuck in your seat for hours on end with little room to move or stretch is just the kind of situation that helps a blood clot form.”
The movement you make while walking helps pump blood through your body. When that movement stops for prolonged periods of time, your blood could get “stuck” and a clot could develop. That blood clot blocks the flow of other blood through your veins and, if a blood clot does develop, there is a chance it could travel to your lungs causing pulmonary embolism.
Anyone can develop a clot, but these risk factors increase the likelihood:
- Smoking
- Diabetes
- Obesity
- High blood pressure
- Family history of heart disease
- Pregnancy
Take steps to prevent a blood clot
The good news for summer travelers is that it’s easy to prevent blood clots from forming, even if you have elevated risk factors. Just put one foot in front of the other.
“If you’re taking a long trip, it’s essential that you get up and move around. Walk around the airport before your flight and during layovers,” says Dr. Hines. “Staying well hydrated helps too. Make sure to drink plenty of water before and during your trip.”
Being stuck in your seat is no excuse. Simply moving your knees up and down flexes your calf muscle and gets your blood circulating. Choosing water instead of alcohol or caffeine will also help prevent blood clots from developing.
“A blood clot can come out of nowhere, but there are some warning signs,” says Dr. Hines.
- Pain in the calf
- Swelling of the leg
- Warm feeling in the leg
- Redness at the clot site
The risk doesn’t necessarily go away immediately when you leave the plane. “You may have already started the process, especially if you were immobile during a 4-6 hour flight. The best thing to do is be careful and try to prevent it,” says Dr. Hines.
Drug therapy is available to reduce your risk
Talk to your doctor before your trip if you are at higher risk for developing blood clots. You may be a candidate for blood thinning medication, which can help prevent clots from forming. Your physician will also work with you on lifestyle modification.
Vascular screenings are available through Adventist Midwest Health and can help pinpoint your risk factors.
“At Adventist we strongly believe in prevention, so I talk with my patients every day about exercising, eating well, and keeping fit as ways to ward off vascular disease. We are also able to intervene with state-of-the-art surgical tools when necessary,” says Dr. Hines.
Call 866-533-7968 to schedule an appointment with a physician.
