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Deep vein thrombosis - prevention for travellers - Management
Basis for recommendation
These recommendations are based on published guidelines, expert reviews, and consensus documents [Kesteven, 2000; SIGN, 2002; Aerospace Medical Association Medical Guidelines Taskforce, 2003; Possick and Barry, 2004; British Committee for Standards in Haematology, 2005; Watson, 2005; Geerts et al, 2008; Sándor, 2008; Schobersberger et al, 2008; Watson and Chee, 2008; Silverman and Gendreau, 2009].
Risk factors
- Although the absolute risk of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) with long-haul flights is very low in healthy individuals without risk factors, there is evidence from the WRIGHT (World Health Organization Research Into Global Hazards of Travel) project and earlier studies that the risk is increased by the presence of risk factors (such as obesity, oral contraceptive use, previous DVT, recent trauma, varicose veins, cardiac disease, thrombophilia, pregnancy and cancer) [Kesteven and Robinson, 2001; Arya et al, 2002; Hughes et al, 2003; Jacobson et al, 2003; Martinelli et al, 2003; Paganin et al, 2003; WHO, 2007].
Duration of travel
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