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Deep vein thrombosis - prevention for travellers - Management
How should I advise someone at high risk of travel-related DVT?
For people assessed as having a relatively high risk of developing travel-related deep vein thrombosis (DVT):
- Assess the person's suitability for long distance travel. If appropriate:
- Consider seeking specialist advice, or
- Recommend delaying or cancelling the trip (for example people should postpone long-haul flights for 3 months after a hip or knee replacement).
- If travelling is unavoidable and involves continuous travel lasting more than 6 hours:
- Provide advice on general measures to reduce the risk of travel-related DVT.
- Advise the use of graduated compression stockings.
- Class 1 stockings or proprietary flight socks are generally sufficient.
- Measure the ankle-brachial pressure index (ABPI) if the person has symptoms of arterial disease. If the ABPI is less than 0.5, compression stockings should not be worn.
- For further information, see Compression stockings.
- Seek specialist advice from a haematologist regarding whether the use of low molecular weight heparin is indicated.
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