Age is important, says Patrick Kesteven, a consultant hematologist at Newcastle s Freeman Hospital. And even generally healthy passengers are at some risk if they stay immobile during the flight.
Clots can form at various points in the leg, causing varying degrees of discomfort.
With DVT, you may form a little lump of a clot behind one of the valves. Although the clots themselves are not life-threatening, the complications can be. In rare instances, part of a clot may lodge in other organs, including the brain, where it can trigger a stroke. Doctors suggest that if you have a proven predisposition to thrombosis, you should consider an injection of anticoagulant within 24 hours prior to flying. Though taking aspirin before takeoff may ward off clots for some people, pregnant women, among others, shouldn t do it.