I think I read somewhere recently that some doctors recommend taking an aspirin before a long flight to help prevent blood clots in the legs (deep vein thrombosis.) Does anyone have any information or experience with this? How much aspirin? How soon before the flight? Any input is much appreciated. Thanks.

A single aspirin will typically suffice.
Better than that, however, simply exercise your legs every half hour at a minimum.
The issue relates to stagnant venous blood. When sitting for long periods, the blood in the veins in your legs can become stagnant and clot. Happens to fliers, long haul truck drivers, paralytics, etc.
By simply exercising your legs (walking around the cabin, or flexing and extending your feet and raising your knees repeatedly, circulation is stimulated enough to prevent clots in the vast majority of healthy individuals.
Exceptions exist. People with poor peripheral circulation (long term diabetics, very obese people, etc) can still be at increased risk despite these activities. Aspirin has an anti-clotting effect on the blood.

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Saturday, July 28 9:07 PM SGT --- CAPE TOWN
Airlines knew about economy class syndrome 30 years ago: report

International airlines were warned about the dangers of "economy class syndrome" more than 30 years ago but failed to caution passengers, a report here said Saturday.
The Cape Town-based Saturday Argus quoted a retired South African medical professor as saying he co-authored a report in the British Heart Journal in the late 1960s that stated that long flights increased the risk of deep vein thrombosis.

Peter Beighton said he wrote the report after studying the symptoms of 25 passengers who were treated at Hillingdon Hospital near Heathrow Airport outside London between 1963 and 1965.
One of the patients died from a cerebral embolism, he told the newspaper.
Beighton said he and Peter Richards, a young British doctor, concluded that sitting still for long periods combined with the pressure of aircraft seats pressing against the backs of passengers' legs and a shortage of oxygen in cabins created "an ideal climate for deep vein thrombosis."
In their report they advised that airlines should encourage passengers "to take a stroll to the washroom along the aircraft gangway for the benefit of exercise from time to time during a long flight".

He said it was shown to British Airways before it was published.

Two Australians and a South African who claim they were the victims of "economy class syndrome," this month began a legal battle for compensation from airlines they accuse of ignoring a potentially fatal health threat. The landmark lawsuits accuse Dutch carrier KLM, British Airways and Australia's Qantas of failing to warn passengers about the dangers of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) during long-haul flights in cramped conditions.

One of the complainants suffered permanent brain damage after developing a blood clot on a flight between Cape Town and Sydney. The other two suffered blood clots in the lungs and legs after flying between Britian and Melbourne.
Beighton said airlines could not feign ingorance about the risk that passengers might develop deep vein thrombosis as he and Richards had warned about it.

"The issue is that the airlines said they did not know anything about it but the reality is otherwise."
Airlines have generally expressed scepticism about the existence of the syndrome, arguing that the clots could be the result of underlying symptoms and are not necessarily linked to air travel.

TT:
You've missed the most important point here....
it's not a 'syndrome' related to economy class....it's a phenomenon which occurs (rarely) among individuals who sit for long periods, regardless of whether it's wedged into economy class or in first class.
It's a largely preventable process unless fliers have underlying vascular diseases or other complicating issues.
It has nothing to do with discrimination against economy fliers.

And for those who might retort with comments about how much extra leg room there is in FC, there is nothing that prevents economy fliers from doing the necessary exercises which thwart venous clotting.

Rocky,
Just another suggestion...if you have ulcers or upset stomach with aspirin, you could either take one coated aspirin or two baby aspirin.

Re: when to take aspirin. Just take the aspirin before you leave to go to the airport. Regular aspirin users take it only once a day, so don't worry about the time span.

We are taking my mother-in-law from the east coast to Europe. She does have an existing blood clot in one leg, and takes coumadin regularly. Other than walking the length of the plain every hour, is there anything else she should do? Should we be fearful or cancel the trip?

Do support stockings help? A lot of my friends are wearing them on long haul flights as well as taking aspirin and doing exercises/walking up and down the aisles - not eating or drinking anything but water.DVT is scarey but can it occur on long cross-country drives too?

Do not give your mother in law aspirin if she is taking Coumadin. She does need to walk around during the flight and you might ask her doc about support stockings. I wonder if the airlines would consider her condition a cause to assign the bulkhead seats? You can give it a try. At any rate, make sure she get an aisle so she can get up during the flight. Good luck.

Support stockings are indeed helpful, but not a substitute for exercising the legs.
The exercises need not include walking, but walking is certainly helpful.
Aspirin and coumadin are both 'blood thinners' and anyone on coumadin should be optimally anti-coagulated already, meaning no additional benefit from other medications.
Staying well hydrated is VERY important, often overlooked. This means lots of non-alcoholic, non-caffeinated fluids. At least 12 ounces per hour in the air.
I would never recommend cancelling a trip overseas because of history of DVT's unless more complicated underlying circumstances exist simultaneously.

Unfortunately, with the restrictions on liquid, 12 oz. of liquid per hour in the air is not going to be possible. The airlines and the TSA are seeing to this, from what I read.

Once you have gone through security, you can purchase bottled water that you can take on the plane with you. Some airlines provide water inflight, too.

Amy, did you notice that this thread is 5 1/2 years old?

Amazing. It is the first thing I noticed, yet when I responded, I neglected to take it under consideration. Thanks for the heads up and my apologies for any inconvenience to the thread and fellow Fodorites.

It's no inconvenience! Just make sure you are putting the previous responses in the correct context regarding their validity. I noticed that you are topping some other old threads.

Updated info on the Euro Board: aspirin has never been shown effective in peer reviewed studies vs travelers' dvt (PEP study did show efficacy following hip fracture), and is not recommended.
M

Thank you. Will do.

They may say it is not effective. But, if I do not suffer from ulcers or digestive problems, in my personal opinion and speaking only for what I plan to do, I do not think it will hurt me to take one of those lower dosage aspirins and take one the morning of the flight or late night before. If it does affect me, I will report it. Remember however, all meds, Rx AND/or NON Rx affect different people different ways.

A,
I take asa 81 mg qd, but for other reasons and don't change dose when flying long distances.
M

Got it! Thanks. I meant that I was going to be taking the 60 mg (I forget which mg it is) until then and then the night before take one 500 mg. But, you are right. That may not be safe. Thank you so very much. I sincerely appreciate your suggestion.