PSP- Classic

Cause of death:  Flying economy,  Deep Vein Thrombosis

Young woman killed by blood clot after long, cramped flight

by Brad Evenson  

The death of a British bride-to-be is being blamed on "economy class syndrome"--a blood-clotting condition caused by long periods spent in cramped quarters.

Emma Christoffersen, 28, developed a blood clot in her leg while returning home from the Olympic Games aboard a Qantas Airway flight. She collapsed in the arrival hall of Heathrow Airport and died before reaching hospital 10 days ago, the cause of  her death came to light only yesterday.  Ms. Christoffersen, who had been in good health, complained she felt unwell on the last portion of the 19,310 kilometer trip.

A post-mortem confirmed that Marks & Spencer assistant sales clerk died when the blood clot worked its way to her lungs, an event known as deep vein thrombosis, or DVT.

Aviation doctors say the tight seating in the coach section of commercial airliners can cause DVT, particularly in the elderly or overweigh, which has led to the name "economy class syndrome".

In recent years, critics have assailed international carriers for ignoring the problem.  "There are 30,000 people in the United Kingdom who suffer from air-related blood clots," says Farrol Kahn of the London-based Health Aviation Institute. "The airlines should label their product just like anyone else and warn of the risks on the actual ticket."

Qantas says it warns passengers of the hazards of sitting immobile for long periods in its in-flight magazine and on videos.

Ms. Christoffersen's mother, Ruth, said this does not go far enough. " I think more preventative measures should be taken," she told reporters. "The airlines say that they put this information in the in-flight magazine ?" ...........................

Cramped flights Killed 25 At Tokyo airport, MD says

Blood clots caused by the so-called Economy-class syndrome—the effect that allegedly stems from long flights on cramped airliners has---killed 25 passengers at Tokyo's airport in the past eight. years, a Japanese doctor reported yesterday.

The doctors survey concluded that the lack of leg room, the dry air and general immobility facing fliers for hours at a time form a deadly combination. The blood. thickens, increasing the risk of clots forming in the legs, which can then make a lethal journey to the heart and lungs. 

All 25 of the dead - more than three people a year --collapsed shortly after disembarking from lengthy flights and actually died at the Narita international airport hospital, said Toshiro Makino, who heads the airport's Nippon Medical School clinic. The average age of those who died was 64. 

The report also found that between 100 and 150 people a year in Tokyo are treated for breathing problems related to the syndrome, and more than half the cases are serious. 

Japan's report the first of its kind in a country where long flights are commonplace  will fuel a controversy that took off two months ago when a 28-year-old British woman died after a 20 hour flight from Australia. 

Emma Christofferson of Wales developed a fatal clot on a Qantas economy-class flight and lost consciousness at Heathrow after landing. 

Since then, numerous reports of similar cases have emerged along with anger that airlines do not issue more warnings on the health risks of traveling or improve seating conditions. 

In Australia, for example, a law firm is preparing a class-action suit against several airline carriers. 

Still, medical studies do not necessarily agree that air, travel is directly linked to. the development of deep vein blood  clots. 

Some doctors suggest that air travel is no more of a risk than any other form of long, cramped traveling experienced in a car or a bus. 

But there is consensus that certain passengers face a greater risk than others, namely the elderly, the overweight, people with previous heart conditions, women on the birth control pill and smokers. 

Dr. Makino said, however, the “economy class" label on the health risk is a misnomer.He said he felt that pilots and passengers in all travel classes are at risk.

"It's wrong to assume that it is limited to economy-class passengers,"  Dr. Makino, said. “The syndrome may have become well known only recently, but it has been around ever since people began flying." 

Dr. Makino recommended passengers avoid alcohol and try to stretch their legs during flights to reduce health risks. 

Staff, Agence France-Presse, Scripps Howard News Service 

The Globe and Mail, December 29, 2000

Blood-clot death spark lawsuit

The death of a young woman from blood clots after an international flight has sparked the announcement of a class action suit that could target dozens of airlines. The Australian firm of Slater and Gordon is representing the widower of 28-year-old Emma Christoffersen, who died in October after a flight from Melbourne to London on Qantas Airlines

The firm says it hopes to make a case that airlines are liable for hundreds of deaths and illnesses -because they cram passengers in too tight and fail to warn them of the risks of  blood clots from immobility,

A spokesman for Qantas said that the airline has introduced an in-flight audio exercise program and offers warnings in its in-flight magazine.

Honor Verrier of British Airways, one target of the suit, said her airline for at least two years has advised passengers about exercises they should do on board.

Washington Post

Night shift work increases cardiac risk

Researchers at the University of Milan in Italy tracked the levels of cardiac out-put nerve activity in 22 healthy male steelworkers through a rotating schedule of first, second, and third shifts.  The investigators found that the levels of nerve activity responsible for increasing heart function were consistently and significantly lower during night shifts than during morning or afternoon shifts, even when the men were doing the same work in all shifts.