Risk for DVT for airline passengers and flying personnel

Civil aviation passengers, including growing number of people traveling on business, as well as airline crew members are the groups of occupational risk, and have been discussed for years in the context of deep venous thrombosis (DVT).

DVT is one of the most common problems faced by the clinicians in medicine today. Not only is there difficulty in making a definitive diagnosis but also in initiating proper treatment, especially as DVT is often asymptomatic and goes undiagnosed with potentially fatal consequences.

The main risk factor of DVT is venous stasis caused by a prolonged sitting posture in cramped economy class aircraft seats, hence the name of the medical condition: economy class syndrome. A specific microclimate of the airplane which is characterized by changes in air temperature, mild hipoxia and very low humidity also plays a significant role.

Notwithstanding the growing popularity of the airplane as the means of transportation, the linkage of DVT and pulmonary embolism with airline travels remains unexplained.

This paper presents a review of findings from the studies devoted to the aforementioned issue together with the examination of risk factors of DVT, DVT diagnostic methods and proposed guidelines for the prevention of DVT during airline travels which should include, amongst others, regular exercises, walking, drinking water and the use of preventive measures, such as: compression stockings and medications.