So pop a few pills you bought from a guy on the streetcorner, stick your gun in your waistband, and go for a drive. Just don't shovel snow, cuz that's dangerous!
It's a specific type of snow dubbed "heart attack snow".Can shovelling snow give you a heart attack?
'In my opinion, it's the single most dangerous activity people can do,' said Barry Franklin, with the American Heart Association
Author of the article:Washington Post
Washington Post
Lindsey Bever
Published Jan 12, 2024 • Last updated 1 day ago • 3 minute read
Is it true that shovelling snow can give you a heart attack?
The science: Snow shovelling can be dangerous. It can place stress on the heart and has been associated with increased cardiovascular events, particularly after heavy snowfalls, research shows.
One study showed that from 1990 to 2006, about 195,000 people in the United States were treated in emergency rooms for injuries and medical emergencies from snow shovelling. Of those, 6.7 percent were cardiac related, including all 1,647 deaths.
“Snow shovelling causes excessive demands on the heart while simultaneously compromising blood flow with the cold, which leads to heart attacks and sudden death every year,” said Barry Franklin, a spokesperson for the American Heart Association. “In my opinion, it’s the single most dangerous activity people can do.”
Snow shovelling is a vigorous workout primarily for your arms, and upper-extremity exercise is more strenuous and puts more stress on your heart than lower-extremity exercise, said Franklin, a professor and director of preventive cardiology and cardiac rehabilitation at Corewell Health William Beaumont University Hospital in Royal Oak, Mich.
You’re also largely standing still, which can cause blood to pool in your lower extremities, depriving your heart of oxygenated blood; there is an inclination to hold your breath when straining, which causes a disproportionate rise in heart rate and blood pressure; and cold temperatures can cause blood vessels to constrict, limiting blood flow to the heart and raising blood pressure, he said.
Steven Brooks, head of emergency medicine at Cleveland Clinic’s Akron General, said he does not typically see heart attacks related to snow shovelling, but each winter, people – mainly men – come into the ER with chest pain.
“People often think that snow is very light and fluffy until they go out and start shoveling it,” he said.
Those who are about 40 and older or have risk factors such as diabetes, obesity, high cholesterol and high blood pressure or who smoke or live a sedentary lifestyle should think twice before shovelling snow, experts say. And, they say, those with a history of cardiovascular problems, including chest pain, heart disease or previous heart attacks, or those who have had procedures such as an angioplasty or bypass surgery should not do it.
What else you should know:
Snow removal is hard work. In a 1995 study, 10 healthy men, with an average age of 32.4 years, shovelled snow for 10 minutes, averaging 12 lifts per minute for an average of 16 pounds per load of snow.
If you do the math, “Middle-aged and older people who are shoveling heavy, wet snow may be moving approximately 2,000 pounds in 10 minutes,” said Franklin, the lead author of the study. “That’s the weight of a midsize car.”
If you are shovelling snow, experts suggest these precautions:
– Warm up, pace yourself by doing small sections at a time and take frequent breaks. Drink plenty of water.
– Dress in warm layers, a hat and gloves, and cover your nose and mouth to avoid breathing in the cold air.
– Use your legs, too, to keep blood from pooling in your lower extremities.
– Push the snow rather than lifting and throwing it. Some shovels are designed to push snow. Some even have wheels to make it easier.
If you start experiencing dizziness, lightheadedness, chest pain or shortness of breath, stop immediately and go inside, Brooks said. If you develop chest pain that does not quickly resolve when you stop shovelling, call 911 or have someone drive you to the ER to be evaluated.
Bottom line: Snow shovelling can be a dangerous chore, especially for those at higher risk. If you or your doctor is concerned whether your heart can handle the task, get someone else to do it.
For more health news and content around diseases, conditions, wellness, healthy living, drugs, treatments and more, head to Healthing.ca – a member of the Postmedia Network.
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Can shovelling snow give you a heart attack?
Barry Franklin, a spokesperson for the American Heart Association: 'In my opinion, it's the single most dangerous activity people can do'torontosun.com
Buddy of mine died of a heart attack shovelling snow in Grande Prairie 4 winters ago. He was 61.It's a specific type of snow dubbed "heart attack snow".
We dont see it often in real Canada. Its a S Ontario thing.
"Even just an inch or two of wet snow can be very heavy to shovel and can pose a risk of overexertion, particularly among the elderly and those with heart and other health conditions," said weather.com senior meteorologist Jonathan Erdman. "This is why meteorologists refer to it as 'heart-attack snow'."
Heavy, wet snow has a low snow-to-liquid ratio, as low as 5-to-1, meaning for every 5 inches of snow, there is a 1-inch liquid equivalent. Mid-winter snowstorms with colder air near the surface, in the 20s or even teens, may have a snow-to-liquid ratio of 10-to-1 to as high as 20-to-1, since melting isn't occurring before the snowflakes reach the ground.
Lake-effect snow typically has snow-to-liquid ratios of 25-to-1 or 30-to-1, depending how cold the air is that's flowing over the lake.
The higher the snow-to-liquid ratio, the lighter and fluffier the snow, making it much easier to shovel. The opposite is true for heavy, wet snow.
"This all matters because the weight of inches of wet snow can damage trees, knock out power and can be a danger to those trying to shovel," said Erdman.
Shovel first, beer, cigs and nap after.Buddy of mine died of a heart attack shovelling snow in Grande Prairie 4 winters ago. He was 61.
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“It would be a dream come true if he beat my record one day,” said Lotus.
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BUILD THE WALL!