British charity Lifeblood is warning young professionals and video game enthusiasts that their lifestyles, which involve long periods of sitting around motionless, may put them at risk of potentially fatal blood clots.
A story in The Telegraph cites a survey of 1,000 people under age 30, which discovered that professionals with desk jobs sat still for an average of three hours a day. And three quarters of the respondents ate lunch at their desks instead of moving around and reducing their risk of a clot.
Also of concern is the fact that eight out of 10 of the young professionals surveyed spent the evening sitting around at home.
The survey also looked at video gamers between the ages of 16 and 21, and found they sat for an average of two hours without moving. Some admitted to sitting for five hours at a time while playing, putting off food, drink and even bathroom breaks.
According to Lifeblood, sitting for 90 minutes reduces the blood flow at the back of the knee by half, increasing the chances of developing a blood clot twofold. For every hour spent sitting, the risk of a blood clot increases by 10 percent, according to the article.
Blood clots can be deadly if they break off and travel to the heart, lungs or brain. The Mayo Clinic identifies a sedentary lifestyle as a risk factor for potentially fatal blood clots, as well as pregnancy, a family history of blood clots and recent surgery.
The Mayo Clinic also identifies the use of birth control pills as a risk factor. But while most oral contraceptives can increase the incidence of blood clots, numerous studies indicate that those containing the synthetic hormone drospirenone carry up to three times the risk compared to other birth control pills on the market.
Pills with dropirenone include Yasmin, Yaz, Beyaz and Ocella.
Patients should consult their doctors before making any changes in their medication. A consultation with a Beyaz lawyer is also important if there are significant injuries.
See the story here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/9264503/Office-workers-doubling-risk-of-blood-clots.html
