March
is Deep-Vein Thrombosis Awareness Month, which is a concern for many travelers and, as you may remember, the condition that took the life of NBC-TV correspondent, David Bloom, life while he was covering the war in Iraq.

This year, the Coalition to Prevent DVT has created an educational program focusing on preventative care through simple movements that can be done anywhere and anytime mobility is restricted. As part of DVT Awareness In Motion, David Bloom’s widow, Melanie Bloom, has partnering with Mary Ann Wilson, R.N., founder and host of the PBS broadcast, “Sit and Be Fit,” on an educational video that features movements that may help reduce the risk of DVT by encouraging blood circulation. The program goes beyond building traditional awareness of the signs and symptoms of DVT by emphasizing the importance of preventative care in during long distance travel.
 
There are few public health problems as serious as DVT and its related complication, pulmonary embolism (PE), yet these conditions receive little attention. In fact:
Up to 2 million Americans are affected by DVT each year, and approximately 300,000 Americans die each year from PE.

Complications from DVT claim the lives of more Americans than breast cancer and AIDS combined.

DVT-related PE is the leading cause of preventable hospital death in U.S. hospitals, but the risk of DVT can be reduced if healthcare professionals and consumers recognize risk factors, warning signs and symptoms so that appropriate preventative measures can be taken.

At the DVT Website, check out the Awareness in Motion link and you can view some exercises and see some of the video.


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