Stress and Thrombosis

Learned something new today: stress may be a big risk factor for DVT. Why? Because the "fight or flight" adrenaline response triggered by stress increases the blood coagulability.

I learned of the stress-DVT connection in an article that links DVT and stress during air travel. The author makes the point that passengers are at much greater DVT risk now than ever before, because they feel more stressed than ever (fear of terrorism, more airport hassles). Researchers quoted estimate that as many as 10% of air passengers might be at heightened risk.

It's easy to see, though, how stress could play a role in lots of other situations. For example, is constant stress a contributor to the higher DVT risk cancer patients face?

In my own case, I'm a small business owner who is perenially under the gun -- and felt even more so after being laid up with the minor injury that probably led to my DVT. If only I'd known then what I know now!