STAYHEALTHY
Adeepvein
thrombosis (DVT)
isabloodclot that
develops inadeep
vein, usually ina
leg. Sometimes
theseclotscan
breakawayand
travel through the
bloodstream to
vital organsand
cancausesevere
injuryordeath.
Possible risk
factors include
prolongedphys-
ical immobility,
blood-clotting
disorders, family
history, cancer,
obesity, heart
disease, pregnan-
cy, recentmajor
surgery, smoking
orage.ManyDVTs
donotproduce
anysymptoms,
but symptoms
could includepain
or swellingand
rednessof the
affectedarea.
Whilepreven-
tivemeasures
arestilluncer-
tain,passengers
canwear loose
clothing, regularly
change legposi-
tions,occasionally
walk thecleared
aisleof theplane
whenallowedby
flightstaff,avoid
crossing their
legsat theankles
orknees,orwear
graduated-com-
pressionstockings
tohelp reduce risk.
Keepinghydrated
andperforming
theexercisesbe-
lowcanalsohelp.
Customers
shouldkeep their
personal health in
mindwhen follow-
inganyof these
suggestions.
aa.com/health
Pleasevisitourwebsite
formorehealth-related
informationand tips.
DVTFACTS
TIPSFORAFITFLIGHT
NUTALLERGY
American recognizes that somepassengers are
allergic topeanuts andother nuts. Althoughwedo
not servepeanuts,wedo serveother nut products
(suchaswarmednuts), and theremaybe trace
elementsof unspecifiednut ingredients, including
peanut oils, inmeals and snacks.Wedonot have
inplaceprocedures that allowflight crews tonot
serve these foodsupon request of a customer.We
donot providenut “buffer zones.”Our planes are
cleaned regularly, but these cleanings arenot de-
signed toensure the removal of nut allergens, nor
areour air-filtration systemsdesigned to remove
nut allergens. Additionally, other customersmay
bringpeanutsor other nutsonboard. Therefore,
we cannot guarantee customerswill not be
exposed topeanutsor other nutsduringflight,
andwe stronglyencourage customers to takeall
necessarymedical precautions toprepare for the
possibilityof exposure.
ADDITIONALALLERGEN INFORMATION
Additional allergen information is available for our
customersdepartingEU countries. Pleaseaskyour
flight attendant formoredetails.
ANKLECIRCLES FOOTPUMPS
KNEELIFTS
KNEETOCHEST
EASYSEATEXERCISES
Fourwaystobeatstiffnesson longflights
TRAVELINGWITHCOPD
Beforeyoutravel, talktoyourdoctoraboutanyconcernsyoumayhave.Also,whenyoubookyourflight, let
AmericanAirlinesknowaboutanyneeds forservices(suchasawheelchairoraportableoxygenconcentrator)
thatyoumayhave,andtheairlinewillhelpcoordinateassistancewithyourrequest.PleasealsovisittheCOPD
Foundationwebsiteat
formore informationabouttravelingwithCOPD.
M
aintaininggoodhealth
whileflyingrequires
specialconsiderations.
Here,HerbertDuPont,M.D.,director
of theCenter forInfectiousDiseases
atTheUniversityofTexasSchoolof
PublicHealthandaspecialist intravel
medicine,sharessometips forstaying
healthywhile inflight:
Dresscomfortably,becauseclothes
thatconstrictcancausecompression
ofthebloodvessels.Drinkplentyof
waterinordertostayhydrated.
Ifyouhaveheartdiseaseorlung
disease,youshouldcheckwithyour
doctorabouttakingalong-distance
flightbecausethealtitudecanaffect
circulationandbreathing.Forflights
sixhoursormore,wearcompres-
sionstockingstohelppreventblood
clotting.
Thelackofhumidityonaplanecan
maketheairfeeldry.Thedryness
makesbloodmoreconcentratedand
canpromoteadeepveinthrombosis
(DVT)anditscomplications.Tocom-
batdehydrationanddryness,keep
drinkingwater.Peoplepronetodry
eyesshoulduseeyedrops.
Takeadrinkofwateroranonalcohol-
icbeverageeverytimeyou’reofferedit,
fortworeasons:Itkeepsyouhydrated,
whichcanhelppreventaDVT,andit
willkeepyoumovingdowntheaisle
(forbathroombreaks),whichisanoth-
erwaytopreventaDVT.
Forpregnanttravelers,certainlydo
nottraveltowardtheendofpregnan-
cy;thereareairlinerequirementspre-
ventingthat.Walkoften,aspregnant
womenaremuchmoresusceptibleto
clottingdisorders.Drinkwatertostay
hydratedaswell.
It ispossible toflywhenyouhave
a respiratorycondition suchas
chronicobstructivepulmonary
disease (COPD), but the issueof
flyingwith lungorheartdisease
relates to the severityof thedis-
ease.Thosewithmild formsof the
disease shoulddofine. Ifoxygen is
required intermittentlybypeople
with lungorheartdisease, flights
that are sixhoursormore should
beavoidedunlessarrangements
canbemadewith thecarrier to
receiveoxygenduringflight.
SeeadditionalCOPDnotesbelow.
106
SEPTEMBER2015
AMERICANWAY
