Economy Class Syndrome: DVT's Formation In Flight

From Bloomberg:

Reduced oxygen levels and low air pressure in airplanes may contribute to the development of blood clots in some passengers, according to a study published in this week's Lancet medical journal.

The study by researchers at the Leiden University Medical Center in the Netherlands measured clotting activity in 71 healthy volunteers before, during and after eight-hour flights.

British Airways Plc, Delta Air Lines Inc. and other carriers have been sued by travelers who claimed they developed a disorder called deep vein thrombosis on flights. The condition, nicknamed ``economy-class syndrome,'' occurs when a clot develops in veins deep in the body and can be fatal if the mass breaks free and lodges in the lungs.

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