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Why Shoveling Snow Can Trigger a Heart Attack

Unless you re in great shape it s probably best to let someone else shovel the sidewalk

Christopher Kimmel / Getty Images Tis the season for snowstorms, freezing rain and chilling winds in many areas of the country. But if you’re an older adult, you should think twice before digging yourself out of winter’s wrath, experts say, especially if you have a heart condition or a history of heart disease. Every year people die of a heart attack during or just after snow removal, says Barry A. Franklin, who has studied the effects of snow shoveling on the heart and is the lead author of an American Heart Association on exercise-related heart risks. Get instant access to members-only products and hundreds of discounts, a free second membership, and a subscription to AARP the Magazine. In fact, nearly 200,000 people were treated in emergency rooms for snow-shoveling-related incidents from 1990 to 2006, according to a 2011 published in The American Journal of Emergency Medicine. That’s an average of 11,500 people a year. About 1,647 deaths were also recorded during that time — all cardiac related. Franklin’s team found that the exertion required to shovel snow drives up a person’s heart rate and . In addition, since the chore requires engaging while the legs are mostly still, blood tends to pool in the lower extremities. At the same time, cold temperatures constrict the arteries, decreasing the amount of blood and oxygen reaching the heart. Straining and breath-holding — common when lifting heavy loads, like wet snow — further aggravate the stress on the heart. “It really is a perfect storm for a heart attack,” says Franklin, who is director of preventive cardiology and cardiac rehabilitation at Beaumont Health in Royal Oak, Michigan. “It’s physically very, very taxing.”

Danger depends on fitness level risk factors

A 2017 published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal examined 128,073 hospital admissions and found that heavy snowfall was associated with a higher risk of hospital admission for heart attacks in men. The risks were elevated regardless of age, cardiovascular risk factors and other health conditions. AARP Membership — $12 for your first year when you sign up for Automatic Renewal Get instant access to members-only products and hundreds of discounts, a free second membership, and a subscription to AARP the Magazine. that indicates about 85 percent of U.S. adults age 50-plus already have underlying coronary artery disease. “If you’re over age 45, I’m pretty sure you’ve got underlying heart disease,” Franklin says. “I’d say you’re probably better off to hire a neighborhood kid to do your driveway.”

6 Warning Signs of a Heart Attack

Chest discomfort — pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain — that lasts more than a few minutes Pain or discomfort in one or both arms, back, neck, jaw or stomach Shortness of breath Nausea Feeling weak, lightheaded or unusually tired Breaking out in a cold sweat If you experience any of these symptoms, call 911 immediately. Your chances of recovery and survival are better with quick treatment. Source: American Heart Association and CDC Other experts say your level of risk largely depends on your fitness level and whether you have cardiovascular , such as a history of cardiac or vascular disease, obesity, smoking, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes or another chronic condition. Anyone with those risk factors should avoid snow shoveling, experts agree. (About 60 percent of U.S. adults have at least one chronic disease, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; that number shoots up to over 85 percent when looking at data for people 65 and older.) “Age alone shouldn’t be the only criteria,” says Jim Powers, M.D., a geriatrician at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville. “If you are a regular jogger, maybe you’re 65 and you’re retired and you’re jogging with no chest pain, you’re probably OK to shovel snow.” Abdulla A. Damluji, M.D., a cardiologist at Inova Health System and an associate professor at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, agrees: “If you are an older adult who is fit — you exercise daily and you perform at high physical activity levels — shoveling snow is less risky.” Health & Wellness Access AARP health Smart Guides, articles & special content See more Health & Wellness offers > If you are normally sedentary, on the other hand, shoveling snow could , even if you have no cardiovascular risk factors. “It can be quite a shock to your system,” Franklin says. He notes that sudden cardiac death is the first, last and only symptom of underlying coronary disease about 25 percent of the time. AARP Membership — $12 for your first year when you sign up for Automatic Renewal Get instant access to members-only products and hundreds of discounts, a free second membership, and a subscription to AARP the Magazine. More on health AARP Membership — $12 for your first year when you sign up for Automatic Renewal Get instant access to members-only products and hundreds of discounts, a free second membership, and a subscription to AARP the Magazine. AARP VALUE & MEMBER BENEFITS See more Health & Wellness offers > See more Restaurants offers > See more Health & Wellness offers > See more Health & Wellness offers > SAVE MONEY WITH THESE LIMITED-TIME OFFERS