Experts call this “economy class syndrome,” but it can happen to anyone traveling in any class on a plane.
Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) occurs when blood clots in one or more veins.
While it can happen at any time, people flying long distances are at higher risk because they are sitting for long periods of time, said Dr Pinakin V Parekh, consultant cardiologist at the Harley Street Cardiovascular Centre in Singapore.
“In theory, passengers in premium classes like business class and first class have more room to move around and stretch their legs,” he told CNBC Travel, “so space on the plane is at a premium.”
But Parekh is quick to point out that the so-called “economy class syndrome” can happen regardless of where one is seated or how frequently a traveller flies.
“We’ve seen patients develop deep vein thrombosis when traveling business class,” he said, adding, “If they decide not to travel, it may be the only flight they ever take.”
What increases risk?
Deep vein thrombosis typically affects the legs, and symptoms can include pain, swelling, changes in skin color, and a feeling of warmth, although some people may experience no symptoms at all, according to the Mayo Clinic.
According to the medical center, people who are obese, over 60 years old, taking birth control pills or hormone replacement therapy, and smokers are at higher risk of developing deep vein thrombosis.
But flying comes with its own risks, he said. Parekh.
“For one in every 5,000 flights operated by air, one patient may develop DVT just from the risks of air travel,” he said.
The 52-year-old man, a former businessman in the banking industry, said he developed deep vein thrombosis as a result of the four-hour flight from Singapore to Hong Kong.
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He said people flying long distances are at higher risk, but even short-haul flights can cause deep vein thrombosis.
“We used to define a long-haul flight as eight hours, but now there is data suggesting that four hours might be considered long enough,” he said.
Alok Tapadia, 52, a former businessman in the banking industry, said he developed deep vein thrombosis as a result of the four-hour flight from Singapore to Hong Kong.
He plays badminton three times a week, so after arriving in Hong Kong he realised something was wrong when he found himself out of breath while climbing stairs.
“One of the escalators got stuck,” he said, using the stairs, “and I had to stop for a while and wonder what had happened to me.”
Still experiencing shortness of breath and an elevated heart rate, he decided to finally get tested once he returned to Singapore.
Doctors told him the clot had traveled to the pulmonary artery, which connects the heart to the lungs.
Episodes like this are truly shocking.
He said the first scan showed an enlarged heart, which occurs when the heart beats too hard, and after a second scan, Tapadia was immediately admitted to the hospital’s intensive care unit.
Doctors found he was “severely” deprived of oxygen and his lungs were completely blocked, he said.
“The situation was critical as the heart was under immense pressure and could have stopped at any moment or gone into a more critical state,” Tapadia said, according to doctors.
He said blood clotting inhibitors could not dissolve the clots quickly enough.
So doctors ultimately turned to cardiac catheterization, inserting a catheter into a blood vessel near the heart to dissolve the clot from the inside, Tapadia said.
Tips to reduce DVT
Deep vein thrombosis can develop into pulmonary embolism, a potentially life-threatening complication that occurs when a blood clot breaks off and lodges in a blood vessel in the lungs. Mayo Clinic.
Parekh said if the clot travels to the lungs, symptoms can include shortness of breath and chest pain.
“There’s no way to completely eliminate the risk of deep vein thrombosis, but there are ways to reduce the risk while flying,” Parekh says.
The Mayo Clinic recommends drinking plenty of water, standing and walking around during the flight, rotating your ankles while sitting, and wearing support stockings.
Parekh has some simple advice for flyers: choose an aisle seat.
“When you’re at the back of the line, you’re always worried you’re getting in the way of the other person, so it makes it a lot easier to just step up and start walking. [next to you]” says Parekh.
More than a year later, Tapadia said he has returned to his normal routine, including travelling and playing badminton, but has changed some of his travel habits, especially at airports.
He now walks through the airport, no longer using the moving walkways, and walks up and down the aisles during flights.
He advises travelers to pay attention to their health and watch for warning signs.
“An incident like this is truly shocking,” he said.
