The risk of venous thromboembolism from air travel

The evidence is only circumstantial

There has recently been increased publicity on the risk of venous thromboembolism after long haul aeroplane flights.1 This was generated by the death of a 27 year old woman from a pulmonary embolism immediately after she disembarked from a flight from Australia to London.2 So far there is only circumstantial,1 but no epidemiological, evidence connecting air travel with venous thrombosis.

Homans first reported venous thrombosis related to air travel in a 54 year old doctor who developed a deep vein thrombosis after a 14 hour flight.3 This condition was first termed economy class syndrome by Symington and Stack.4 Venous stasis, caused by prolonged sitting in the “coach” position in a cramped aeroplane, was considered to be the main causal factor. Similar conditions to air travel, such as sitting for many hours in air raid shelters in London during the Blitz, were associated with a sixfold rise in sudden death …