Economy Class Syndrome
Economy-class or coach-class syndrome is the nickname for a condition that occasionally develops in aeroplane passengers - blood clots in veins, primarily in the legs. The medical term for the condition is deep-vein thrombosis, and it may lead to pulmonary embolism if a clot breaks away and lodges in a blood vessel in the lungs.
Any extended period of inactivity can create the conditions for deep-vein thrombosis. If you are not moving around, the blood flow through your veins gets sluggish, so “sticky” components in the blood sometimes coalesce and form clots. Aeroplane flights are a formula for inactivity. Cramped seats in the coach makes a bad situation worse and the longer you sit, the higher the risk. The danger of deep-vein thrombosis is greatest on trips of 12 hours or more.
Still, the chance of developing a clot is low - on the order of 1 out of every 2.4 million passengers. Some people have taken to wearing compression stockings that improve blood flow in the legs.
Reduce your risk
- GET UP AND WALK around during long flights (admittedly, you can’t go very far). Studies have shown that most passengers who develop pulmonary embolisms have sat through the entire flight.
- DRINK PLENTY OF WATER or fruit juice. The airplane air dehydrates you, and dehydration makes blood clots more likely. But avoid caffeine and alcohol - they pull fluid out of the blood.
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