Computer overuse can cause 'e-thrombosis'

NEWS
Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) has been associated with long haul air travel, but people who work or play for excessive periods at their PCs are also at risk from blood clots, according to a new report. Research published in The European Respiratory Journal reports that a young man in New Zealand nearly died after developing DVT following extended periods of PC use. This first recorded case of "e-thrombosis" occurred after the New Zealand man spent up to 18 hours a day using a computer. He developed a large blood clot that formed in his leg veins, broke off and moved to his lungs. Dr Richard Beasley of the Medical Research Institute of New Zealand, who led the research, warned the widespread use of computers in so many aspects of modern life may put many people at risk of developing DVT. "It may be similar to the situation with the risk of blood clots with long distance air travel," said Dr Beasley, "It was not until there was publicity with individual cases that the real extent of the problem was recognised." According to NewScientist.com, Dr Beasley's team is to review the records of other patients who had pulmonary embolisms to see if they can find other e-thrombosis cases. Personal responsibility
Dr Dan Rutherford, of NetDoctor, who has written about DVT, makes the point that personal responsibility is needed. "People need to check that their chairs do not compress the upper and sides of their legs and that there are no sharp edges to the front of the chair. They should take regular breaks. Five to ten minutes an hour to walk around is sufficient," Dr Rutherford said. Advice on DVT is available from BUPA and The Department of Health on travel-related deep vein thrombosis.
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Talkback

Is there any more evidence of this condition and how widesprade this issue has been in last 2-3 years.

via Facebook 17 January, 2005 04:56
Reply

Tomato juice reduces DVT risk as it reduces platelet aggregation. http://news.scotsman.com/topics.cfm?tid=633&id=865842006 It can reduce DVT risk by up to 70%. 4 ounces of pure tomato juice is needed or 6 tomatoes. Wearing compression stockings also helps. You can also get checked by your doctor to see if you have a clotting disorder which may raise your risk of DVT. Smoking, diabetes, recent surgery and overweight are also major risk factors for DVT. Drinking 6 to 8 glasses of water a day is also very helpful in preventing DVT, since dehydration increases the risk of clots.

The risk of DVT in healthy people is 1 in 6000. I use the computer for several hours (12+) a day and I admit I slack off on the exercise, but I try to remember to wiggle my toes, move my feet around and get up on my tiptoes repeatedly every hour or two to keep the blood moving. Although DVT is rare, you wouldn't want to get it since it causes permanent damage to the valves in your veins, thus increasing markedly the risk of further DVTs.

Take a break every hour like the author said and drink that tomato juice! (and wear compression stockings after consultation with your physician if you are in a high risk group such as a diabetic or obese)

hunstad2 26 September, 2007 17:39
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