L O N D O N, Oct. 23
— A bride-to-be who collapsed minutes after getting off a flight from
Australia to London died from a condition known as “economy class
syndrome.”
Jane O’Kill, a spokeswoman for
Ashford Hospital in England, told ABCNEWS.com doctors there performed a
post-mortem and ruled her death was due to natural causes as a result of a
pulmonary embolism attributed to deep vein thrombosis, or DVT.
Emma Christofferson, 28, was traveling home to London from a
three-week trip to Australia, on a Qantas flight via Singapore last month.
She complained of feeling unwell on the last part of the 12,000-mile trip
and collapsed in the arrival hall at Heathrow airport. She died before
reaching a hospital.
DVT affects approximately two million people in the U.S. each year.
The condition is frequently caused by long periods spent in cramped
conditions. Tightly packed seating — such as that found in the economy
class section of airliners — can restrict movement and trigger illness
when a blood clot in the leg breaks off and travels to the heart or lungs.
Sudden death is a likely outcome.
Qantas typically advises its passengers to exercise during flights to
improve circulation by moving their legs and feet for three or four
minutes every hour.
A spokeswoman for Qantas was quoted as saying: “The safety of our
passengers is always of paramount importance and we refer to the possible
effects of flying in our in-flight magazine.”
Before Christofferson’s post mortem was confirmed, there were
suggestions that Christofferson was sky diving and scuba diving during her
stay in Australia. Decompression sickness, which can occur if one flies
within 24 hours of scuba diving, could have contributed to her death.
SOURCE:
ABCNEWS’s Lucrezia Cuen and Reuters contributed to this report.
Preventive Measures
Although anyone can develop blood clots,
certain people are more vulnerable, including pregnant women, people
who are overweight, smokers and those with coronary artery diseases
and certain blood conditions. People with varicose veins or cancer are
at risk, as are people with recent bed rest or recent general
anesthesia. Those with higher risks should consult their physicians
before flying.
Generally, the clots are absorbed into the bloodstream. If they
aren’t, physicians can treat them with drugs that dissolve the clots
and prevent others from forming and, occasionally, surgery. If a clot
reaches the lung, emergency medical assistance is required.
Meanwhile, travel doctors recommend the following precautions for
all passengers:
 Book your seat on the
aisle, in an exit row or near a bulkhead to increase leg room.
Get up and walk about
at least once an hour (a challenge, given the food carts).
While seated, massage
feet, ankles, lower legs, and knees, and exercise calf muscles by
clenching your toes, to stimulate blood circulation.
Remain hydrated, but
avoid alcohol and caffeine, which contribute to dehydration.
Wear loose clothing,
and avoid stockings or socks with tight elastic below the knees.
People at higher risk
of blood clots should consult with their physician about taking a
low-strength aspirin prior to flying.
— ABCNEWS.com |
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