ChatterBank21 mins ago
asprin?
Answers
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For more on marking an answer as the "Best Answer", please visit our FAQ.Hi. yes, this is apparently true. Aspirin interferes with the clotting process of blood, so should decrease the likelihood of a blood clot causing problems (as in a dvt).
We have been recommended to take an aspirin a day for the 2 or 3 days before flying long haul. ( remember to take aspirin with you for the return journey!!)
You're supposed to take it wbout a week running up to a long haul flight as, previously said, aspirin thins the blood (and therefore helps prevent clots).
Also, wear flight socks and make sure you do the exercises recommended by the in-flight TV (usually involved flexing and pointing your feet, and also making circles with your feet) to keep the blood circulating, and walk around once an hour.
Being a bit of a pedant here, but just to clarify- aspirin does NOT "thin" the blood.
It acts on platelets, to reduce their "stickyness" or ability to clump together to form clots (specifically by acting as an enzyme inhibitor to block production of thromboxane A-2, normally produced by platelets and which causes them to clump together).
The concern with platelets and DVT is that they will readily attach onto any fatty deposits in veins & arteries and cause clots or clumps. When these break off , especially if they form in the arterial side of the circulation, where blood vessels get smaller as they become capillaries, they may reach a point where they become stuck- this prevents blood flow past the blockage and cuts off oxygen supply to the tissue or organ on the opposite side of the block- especially problematic if that happens to be the brain.
Hence the advice about taking aspirin prior to flying.
Personally, whenever I fly, i sleep from approx 20mins after takeoff til landing. P$sses me off when I fly BA cos the booze is free.
Imagine it.
4Hr flight. Free booze all the way. And I cant do anything except sleep!