A freshman girl in Chengdu recently took a 31-hour hard seat train ride to Dongguan and collapsed upon getting off the train, experiencing a sudden cardiac arrest. The news quickly hit the top trending list on February 26th.
According to reports from various Chinese media outlets including the “Qilu Evening News” on February 25th, in order to not miss the school registration, the freshman girl, Xiao Ai (pseudonym), endured a nearly 31-hour hard seat train journey and arrived in Dongguan, Guangdong around 5 am on February 21st.
After getting off the train, Xiao Ai collapsed on the platform after a few steps, losing consciousness, followed by a sudden cardiac arrest. After 6 hours of medical rescue, Xiao Ai was out of danger.
Doctors stated that Xiao Ai was suffering from economy class syndrome.
Public information indicates that Economy Class Syndrome, also known as “poker table syndrome” or “traveler’s thrombosis,” refers to a series of clinical manifestations related to the formation of deep vein thrombosis in the lower limbs and/or pulmonary embolism that occur during or after air travel, which can lead to sudden death when severe.
Doctors remind that during long-distance travel, prolonged sitting, inadequate water intake, disrupted sleep patterns, etc., are factors that can trigger cardiovascular diseases. Therefore, it is important to stay physically active and stay hydrated in long journeys.