Madrid (EFE).- Long trips, those of more than four hours and especially those that exceed eight, can multiply by two and even triple the risk of “traveler’s thrombosis”, according to the Spanish Thrombosis Society. and Hemostasis (SETH).
In a statement, the SETH recalls that the General Directorate of Traffic (DGT) forecasts as of today 95 million long-distance journeys by road during the summer, although it points out that thrombotic episodes can appear in any type of transport.
According to the Society, “traveller’s thrombosis” consists of an episode of venous thromboembolism (VTE) in which a clot forms in the veins of the legs that can break off and migrate to the pulmonary circulation, causing higher-risk diseases.
Joan Carles Reverter, president of the SETH, points out that the incidence of these thrombotic episodes “will depend on the type of duration of the trip and certain individual risk factors.”
These include advanced age, a history of previous thrombosis, recent surgery or trauma, pregnancy, use of oral contraceptives, obesity, cancer, or genetic predisposition to thrombosis.
symptoms of thrombosis
Reverter has affirmed that the appearance of thrombosis is “something unpredictable, since it can affect days or weeks after the trip in question”.
However, he warns that it usually generates pain, which increases when pressure is applied to the calf, edema and redness of the leg, in a section of it (above or below the calf).
Recommendations for long trips
The SETH recommends avoiding clothing that compresses, maintaining adequate hydration and performing regular exercise, through walks during the flight, in the case of traveling by plane, or contraction and extension exercises of the legs, in the case of subjects without risk factors. .
In the case of people at high risk of thrombosis, the use of moderate compression stockings or the use of drugs that interfere with blood coagulation, such as heparins, is also recommended.
