Coming at a time when some parts of Canada got 70 cm of snow, it’s not great news that the risk of heart attack is linked to the amount of snow that falls and how long the snowfall lasts. Researchers suspect the reason is that when it snows, people have to shovel their driveways and walks, and shoveling places heavy demands on the cardiovascular system.
Shoveling is hard on the heart
Researchers at the University of Montreal analysed over 100-thousand hospital admissions and almost 70-thousand deaths due to heart attack over three decades in the province of Quebec. They found the likelihood of a heart attack increased the day after a snowfall among men, but not women. This could be because men were more likely to take on the job of shoveling.
Snow shoveling can make a person’s heart beat at a rate more than 75 per cent of their normal maximum or more. That suggests that people who have a higher risk for cardiovascular problems run the risk of having a heart attack when they shovel.
Some people more at risk
This includes people who have a family history of heart problems, those who smoke, are sedentary, diabetic or have high blood pressure or cholesterol levels. The results suggest they should check with their doctors and perhaps have a heart stress test to assess their risk.
‘Take it easy,’ advises cardiologist
And for those who go ahead and shovel, a co-author of the study, cardiologist Brian Potter has some advice. “I think the most important is to take it easy and take your time and to break up the task into maybe different sessions even going inside to get warm in between would be reasonable.
“Certainly avoid the temptation to get it done quickly and to shovel heavy loads at a time because this can really increase the strain on the system.” Potter says if people experience any pain or unusual fatigue they should stop and the pain should subside within five to 10 minute. If the symptoms do not subside in 10 to 15 minutes, he says to call emergency services because they could be sign of a heart attack.
ListenA call for public awareness
Potter says people need to be made aware of the risk of heart attack after a snow fall and may need to avoid shoveling depending on the status of their health.
The study was published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal.
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