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    HomeTravel'Economy class syndrome' is a medical issue that can happen on flights...

    ‘Economy class syndrome’ is a medical issue that can happen on flights — no matter where you sit


    Experts call it “economy class syndrome” — but it can happen to anyone in any class of an airplane.

    Deep vein thrombosis, or DVT as it’s known, occurs when blood clots in one or more veins.

    It can happen at any time, but people who travel on long-haul flights are at a higher risk because they sit for long periods of time, said Dr. Pinakin V. Parekh, a consultant cardiologist at Singapore’s Harley Street Heart and Vascular Centre.

    “Theoretically people who are in better classes of air travel — business class, first class — have more space to move about, stretch their legs,” he told CNBC Travel. “So it’s all about real estate in the plane.”

    But Parekh is quick to point out that so-called “economy class syndrome” doesn’t discriminate as to where you’re sitting or how often a traveler flies, he said.

    “I’ve had patients who travel even in business class also develop DVT,” he said. Plus “it can be the only flight of your life, if you decide not to move.”

    What increases the risks

    Tips to reduce DVT

    Deep vein thrombosis can develop into a pulmonary embolism, which is a potentially life-threatening complication that occurs when a blood clot breaks free and gets stuck in a blood vessel in a lung, according to Mayo Clinic.

    When a clot moves into the lungs, symptoms such as breathlessness and chest pains can occur, said Parekh.

    There’s no way to completely eliminate the risk of deep vein thrombosis, said Parekh. But there are ways to reduce risks while flying, he says.

    Mayo Clinic suggests drinking plenty of water, standing and walking around the plane during the flight, circling your ankles while sitting, and wearing support stockings.

    Parekh has one simple tip for flyers: choose an aisle seat.

    It “encourages you to walk up and start walking much more easily because when you’re all the way inside the row, you’re always worried you’re disturbing the guy [next to you],” says Parekh.

    More than a year later, Tapadia said, he’s back to his normal lifestyle routine, which includes traveling and playing badminton, though he said he’s changed some of his travel habits, starting at the airport.

    Now he walks through the airport, rather than taking the travelator, he said. Plus, he walks up and down the aisles while flying, he said.

    He advises travelers to pay attention to their health and any warning signs.

    “This kind of an episode really shakes you up,” he said.



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