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Get Up, Take a Walk, Have a Drink, as Way of Preventing Clots When Table Gambling for Long Periods of Time, Medical Researchers Suggest. [Are They Nuts?]

A friend, Abe, sent me an interesting cli from the New York Times, which I think is not just a fun angle on gambling moments…but kind of instructive.

There is a report coming out of China of a syndrome that might be caused by excessive table gambling. I know…hard to believe. Right?

Seems like the patient (unnamed), in a letter to the respected Lancet magazine, reported painful swelling in her left leg.

Blood tests showed deep vein thrombosis. In other words, a clot.

Good news is that she recovered.

Doctors researched her case. She had no family history of clots.

At 40, she did take birth control pills.

Ultimately doctors came up with this: the clot might have been caused by excessive mah jongg playing.

She had been playing the game for 8 hours, sitting at a table, motionless.

“Our patient’s condition is similar to economy class syndrome in its underlying pathophysiological mechanisms,” the doctor’s wrote.

“However, the mechanisms of mah-jongg-related D.V.T. could be complicated by stress (especially when it involves monetary bets) and sleep deprivation.”

OK, sounds silly. My mom played mah jongg most of her live for hours on end.

But who am I to argue with Lancet? Or the New York Times.

I guess the answer is…when you’re at the blackjack or poker table for eight hours at a time, get up and walk arouund. Have a drink Eat some food… Or somethin.