Sitting in roomier first class seats won't lower the risk of developing DVT, but sitting in an aisle seat will, according to the American College of Chest Physicians.
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DVT or PE may manifest during or shortly after the flight, but often not for several weeks. Prevention includes choosing aisle seating, maintaining hydration, walking frequently, wearing loose clothing, exercising the lower extremities, using a foot rest, and avoiding alcohol and sleeping pills.
Just as water doesn't flow easily through a kinked-up garden hose, blood can't flow as well through a vein that has a kink. On top of that, changes in air pressure inside the airplane cabin cut down the amount of oxygen you breathe in. Low oxygen in your blood can also make blood clots more likely to form.
DVT is a potentially life threatening condition in which a blood clot forms in a deep vein, most commonly in one of the legs. These clots can break off and travel to the lungs, where they can be fatal. Flying for long distances seems to aggravate the condition, but there are steps pilots can take to lower their risk.
For people with vein disease (venous insufficiency), traveling short distances isn't usually problematic. But on a plane or car trip lasting several hours, the risk of blood clots, or deep vein thrombosis (DVT) increases.