If you are planning to travel either by car by by plane this holiday season, you could be at higher risk for deep vein thrombosis (DVT), a type of blood clot that forms in the leg veins. Your risk of developing DVT increases when are sitting still for a long period of time, such as when you are traveling or bedridden after a surgery or injury. 

While there’s no way to absolutely avoid blood clots while traveling, some simple steps may reduce your risk for DVT during and immediately after travel.

At Vascular Care Specialists of Los Angeles, Dr. Mathew Cheung and Dr. Peter Lin discuss what is DVT and various risk factors which can lead to this condition. In this post, you will learn steps you can take to lower your risk or prevent blood clots if you plan to travel during this holiday season.

DVT can turn deadly if the clot breaks off from inside the vein and travels to the lungs, which can lead to a pulmonary embolism. Deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism are categorized together as venous thromboembolism (VTE), which is the third leading cause of cardiovascular illness. People with DVT are at about 30 percent risk of a second DVT in 10 years, and may of these patients may no have any leg pain or swelling symptom.

Several factors can increase your risk of DVT:

• Travel (greater than two hours by car or one hour by plane)
• Older age
• Being a woman in her childbearing years
• Obesity
• Previous history of clotting issues
• Oral contraceptives (particularly birth control with higher estrogen content)
• Underlying clotting disorders
• Recent surgery or trauma (limits your ability to take preventive low-dose blood thinners and limits your mobility)
• Pregnancy
• Cancer (30 percent of cancer patients develop DVT)
• Certain illnesses

DVT often has no symptoms. If symptoms occur, they include:

• Swelling in the affected leg and rarely, swelling in both legs
• Soreness or cramping in the calf muscle

While most forms of travel won’t raise your blood clot risk by much, it may still be a good idea to take some precautions. Here are 6 steps you can take to reduce your risk of developing blood clots.

When you’re dehydrated, your blood vessels narrow and your blood thickens, increasing your risk for blood clots, according to the American Heart Association. Staying hydrated can be a particular challenge when traveling, since you may not have easy access to water or other beverages at all times. That’s why it’s important to plan ahead — such as by filling up an empty water bottle once you get through security at the airport or stocking bottled water for a long car trip.

It’s also important to avoid beverages that can lead to dehydration when you travel. That means not drinking more than a small amount of alcohol, according to Garcia, and also not drinking large amounts of soda.

Since sitting for longer periods increases the risk for DVT, it stands to reason that shorter trips pose less of a risk. This is particularly true when it comes to air travel — the only form of travel that has been definitely linked to a higher risk for blood clots.

People who travel on flights of more than two hours have a higher risk of blood clots. If you experience symptoms of a blood clot while traveling, it’s important to seek medical care as soon as possible — another reason why shorter trips may be appealing to some people. 

Just because you’re on a plane — or train, bus, or boat — for an extended period doesn’t mean you need to stay glued to your seat. When possible, the CDC recommends standing up and, if space permits, walking around occasionally, ideally at least every two to three hours. If you’re traveling by car, plan to take breaks for stretching and walking around.

Experts believe that other forms of transportation may not pose the same level of risk for DVT as air travel because some of the risk linked to air travel could be due to lower oxygen levels in airplane cabins. Still, the potential benefits of movement apply to any form of travel that involves extended sitting.

If you can’t get up and move for some reason — or if you want even more movement — you can move your legs around while you’re in your seat. The CDC suggests the following seated exercises to reduce your blood clot risk:

• Raise and lower your heels, keeping your toes on the floor.
• Raise and lower your toes, keeping your heels on the floor.
• Tighten and release your leg muscles (certain areas or your whole leg).

Stretching out your legs in front of you is also a good idea, Garcia says, but this may not be possible in many travel situations.

Properly fitted compression stockings are likely to reduce the risk for blood clots while traveling. Compression stockings put added pressure on your legs and feet to improve circulation. They come in different sizes and levels of compression, so make sure you’re properly fitted. Your doctor can help find the right stockings for your legs.

It goes without saying that when you travel, you shouldn’t let it disrupt taking any regular medications — especially anticoagulants (blood thinners), taken to reduce your risk for blood clots, or less powerful clot-preventing antiplatelet drugs like aspirin. But for people who aren’t taking aspirin regularly on their doctor’s advice, taking it when you travel to prevent clots is not recommended, according to the CDC.

At Vascular Care Specialists of Los Angeles, we strive to provide the best service, care, and results possible. If you have circulation problem related to your arteries or veins and would like to seek consultation with a vascular surgeon, give us a call at 626-275-9566 to schedule an appointment. You can also visit us at www.vcsla.com for more information.