Take a pill
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Take a pill
The parents of a 28-year-old woman who died
from deep vein thrombosis after a 12,000-mile
flight are calling for airlines to give out health warnings. It is believed that bride-to-be Emma Christoffersen, from Newport, south Wales, died from the so-called "economy class syndrome" after flying 12,000 miles from Australia in a cramped seating position.
Tests showed Ms Christoffersen died from
deep-veined thrombosis (DVT) which is
suffered by dozens of airline passengers each
year.
Her parents Ruth and John Christoffersen have
urged long-haul airline operators to give
pre-flight warnings of the dangers of DVT to
passengers.
Ms Christoffersen complained of feeling
unwell after returning to Heathrow, London, from a three-week trip to Australia.
She lost consciousness in the arrivals hall and died before reaching hospital.
A post mortem examination revealed the cause
of her death was DVT, a pulmonary embolism
or blood clot which forms in a vein, usually in the leg, and works its way into the heart or lungs where it causes sudden death.
Mrs Christoffersen, 54, from Underwood,
Newport, said: "We were told she died from
sitting in the cramped seat of a jumbo jet for such a long time."I'd never heard of the condition before but passengers on long flights suffer from reduced circulation and that can cause a blood clot.
'Fit and healthy'
"I don't want other parents to go through what we have endured and that is why I want to give this warning about danger of flying.
"I don't see why the dangers could not be
spelled out during the normal safety warnings
just before take-off."
Emma's fiance Tim Stuart, 35, said she had
been fit and healthy.
"It's not as if she had never been on a plane
before - we had been on holiday to the States
twice and Barbados on long-haul flights."
Doctors say a simple aspirin tablet taken a few hours before take-off would dramatically cut the number of victims by thinning the blood during long- periods of inactivity in a cramped aircraft seat.
Aspirin advice - The Aviation Health Institute which researches air deaths is sending a five-point plan to the Minister for Aviation aimed at cutting deaths from DVT.
Director Farrol Kahn said that airlines and
travel agencies should provide an aspirin with every flight ticket.He also advised airplane passengers to exercise the lower leg and foot and to get up and walk the aisles occasionally.
Qantas spokeswoman Sally Martin, the airline's General Manager for UK and Ireland, said: "Our sincere sympathies are with Emma's family. "The safety of our passengers is always of paramount importance and indeed we do refer to the possible effects of flying in our in-flight magazine."
BBC News Online
from deep vein thrombosis after a 12,000-mile
flight are calling for airlines to give out health warnings. It is believed that bride-to-be Emma Christoffersen, from Newport, south Wales, died from the so-called "economy class syndrome" after flying 12,000 miles from Australia in a cramped seating position.
Tests showed Ms Christoffersen died from
deep-veined thrombosis (DVT) which is
suffered by dozens of airline passengers each
year.
Her parents Ruth and John Christoffersen have
urged long-haul airline operators to give
pre-flight warnings of the dangers of DVT to
passengers.
Ms Christoffersen complained of feeling
unwell after returning to Heathrow, London, from a three-week trip to Australia.
She lost consciousness in the arrivals hall and died before reaching hospital.
A post mortem examination revealed the cause
of her death was DVT, a pulmonary embolism
or blood clot which forms in a vein, usually in the leg, and works its way into the heart or lungs where it causes sudden death.
Mrs Christoffersen, 54, from Underwood,
Newport, said: "We were told she died from
sitting in the cramped seat of a jumbo jet for such a long time."I'd never heard of the condition before but passengers on long flights suffer from reduced circulation and that can cause a blood clot.
'Fit and healthy'
"I don't want other parents to go through what we have endured and that is why I want to give this warning about danger of flying.
"I don't see why the dangers could not be
spelled out during the normal safety warnings
just before take-off."
Emma's fiance Tim Stuart, 35, said she had
been fit and healthy.
"It's not as if she had never been on a plane
before - we had been on holiday to the States
twice and Barbados on long-haul flights."
Doctors say a simple aspirin tablet taken a few hours before take-off would dramatically cut the number of victims by thinning the blood during long- periods of inactivity in a cramped aircraft seat.
Aspirin advice - The Aviation Health Institute which researches air deaths is sending a five-point plan to the Minister for Aviation aimed at cutting deaths from DVT.
Director Farrol Kahn said that airlines and
travel agencies should provide an aspirin with every flight ticket.He also advised airplane passengers to exercise the lower leg and foot and to get up and walk the aisles occasionally.
Qantas spokeswoman Sally Martin, the airline's General Manager for UK and Ireland, said: "Our sincere sympathies are with Emma's family. "The safety of our passengers is always of paramount importance and indeed we do refer to the possible effects of flying in our in-flight magazine."
BBC News Online
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Hmmm - I heard a doctor on Radio 2 yesterday (my God - Jimmy Young is still alive!) saying that he was undecided about aspirin being helpful for DVT. For reasons I didn't quite follow, his argument was that aspirin was known to be beneficial in preventing heart attacks (arterial) but not DVT (veinous). Perhaps someone has further info?
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29A please!
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29A please!
Guest
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100% of medical folks will not agree on 100% of everything.Much like what happens on these forums. Half an aspirin can't hurt (unless it irritates your stomach lining).
Get up, walk around, do isometrics with the legs and feet, shift your seated position.
Once had a CSD who, I am convinced, on a 9 1/2 hour flight arranged for the fasten seat belt sign to be on throughout the meal and beverage services etc. for 6 1/2 hrs of total flight time on one of the most non-turbulant flights I've been on. Made things convenient for him and irritating for everyone else. Perhaps hazardous as well.
Get up, walk around, do isometrics with the legs and feet, shift your seated position.
Once had a CSD who, I am convinced, on a 9 1/2 hour flight arranged for the fasten seat belt sign to be on throughout the meal and beverage services etc. for 6 1/2 hrs of total flight time on one of the most non-turbulant flights I've been on. Made things convenient for him and irritating for everyone else. Perhaps hazardous as well.
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Re :dVT
This has been documented many times, having occurred after long cramped flights. The airlines don't really want to know, and accurate stats are not kept(I wonder why?)
Aspirin is a good idea , But look, their really is no need for all this medical nonsense if the seat pitch and width on long flights was increased.
I can remember a few years ago going on a long flight (for the first time) from the uk thinking that surely they won't have the same cramped seating for long flights like they have on domestic ones. I really was amazed when I realised they did.
The nonsense that airlines come out with regarding this is staggering...."get up and walk about"..."stretch your legs etc..." you know.. "well being in the air" etc..
What a pile of doodoo
If you are on an overnight flight in the middle of a row of five with a seat pitch of 26 inches how often will you get up to 'run around'?
Bottom line is this:BIGGER SEATS and LEG ROOM SUITABLE FOR ALL ADULTS! Its not about comfort, just about actually being able to sit normally without knees and hips pinned between seats. The airlines know this but just don't give a sh*t about the punters.
Pretty piss easy really. I long for someone in the USA to sue the stuffing out of an airline regarding this and DVT. I really would rejoice.
Simple fact
VT (deep vein thrombosis) kills even if you are healthy.
[This message has been edited by bigseat (edited 25 October 2000).]
This has been documented many times, having occurred after long cramped flights. The airlines don't really want to know, and accurate stats are not kept(I wonder why?)
Aspirin is a good idea , But look, their really is no need for all this medical nonsense if the seat pitch and width on long flights was increased.
I can remember a few years ago going on a long flight (for the first time) from the uk thinking that surely they won't have the same cramped seating for long flights like they have on domestic ones. I really was amazed when I realised they did.
The nonsense that airlines come out with regarding this is staggering...."get up and walk about"..."stretch your legs etc..." you know.. "well being in the air" etc..
What a pile of doodoo
If you are on an overnight flight in the middle of a row of five with a seat pitch of 26 inches how often will you get up to 'run around'?
Bottom line is this:BIGGER SEATS and LEG ROOM SUITABLE FOR ALL ADULTS! Its not about comfort, just about actually being able to sit normally without knees and hips pinned between seats. The airlines know this but just don't give a sh*t about the punters.
Pretty piss easy really. I long for someone in the USA to sue the stuffing out of an airline regarding this and DVT. I really would rejoice.
Simple fact
VT (deep vein thrombosis) kills even if you are healthy.[This message has been edited by bigseat (edited 25 October 2000).]
I'm sure glad I'm booked in 1st on my SJC-DFW via DEN with no change of aircraft. 
