ISLAMABAD: The act of sitting for long hours can lead to paralysis because it increases the possibility of ‘thrombosis’, the head of the Department of Medicine at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) Prof Dr Jamal Zafar said in a statement on World Thrombosis Day.

He advised that people take preventive measures such as daily exercise and consume an adequate daily quantity of fluids.

Thrombosis is the formation of life-threatening blood clots in arteries or veins. A clot in a vein – usually in the leg – is called deep vein thrombosis (DVT), and a clot that breaks off and travels to the lungs is known as a pulmonary embolism (PE). Blood clots can be caused by anything that prevents the normal circulation of blood.

Dr Zafar said that one in four individuals worldwide die from causes related to thrombosis.

He said that without addressing the disease, it would be impossible to meet the target set by the World Health Assembly to reduce non-communicable disease mortality by 25 per cent by 2025.

“Venous thrombo embolism (DVT and PE) is a leading cause of death and disability worldwide. It claims more lives than Aids, breast cancer, prostate cancer and motor vehicle accidents,” he said.

Dr Rabail Chaudhry of the Pims medicine department said that the disease claims a life ever 37 seconds in the west, whereas in Pakistan there is a limited possibility of credible data accumulation, leading to practically no information about this disease and its impact. However, he said experience reveals that it is on the higher end of the scale.

“Every week, we admit five to six patients with DVT and annually, 300 to 400 patients. Based on their condition, it has been established that the prevalence of the disease in Pakistan is very high. Despite it being a major global burden, a knowledge gap does exist,” he said.

Pims media coordinator Dr Waseem Khawaja told Dawn that people should avoid sitting for long hours in front of computers or the television to reduce the risk factor.

“People should involve themselves and their family members in physical activities, because that is the only way they can live normal, healthy lives,” he said.

Published in Dawn, October 18th, 2015

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