Shoveling snow poses heart health risk for some

By Melissa Patrick
Kentucky Health News

With the immediate threat of more snow over, many Kentuckians have been picking up their shovels to make sure their driveways and sidewalks are cleared — but health experts caution that shoveling snow can lead to an increased risk of a heart attack for some.

“The real problem is when it snows this heavy, you are forced to do it to be able to get out of your house or be able to function, so you’ll be forced to typically increase your activity more than you typically would, and that could unmask your symptoms that have been there but you have not been noticing in the past,” Dr. Abdullahi Oseni, an interventional cardiologist with Norton Heart and Vascular Institute, said at an online news conference.

Oseni explained how the cold temperatures create additional stress on the heart.

“When it’s cold outside, your blood vessels tend to constrict, which is they clamp down, they become smaller, and your blood pressure goes up,” he said. “So with these effects, you will be at a higher risk for developing a heart attack if you have the propensity to have it in the first place.”

In a news release, the American Heart Association lists several ways that snow shoveling affects the heart:

• Shoveling snow is mostly arm work, which is more taxing and demanding on the heart than leg work.
• While straining to lift heavy loads, such as a shovelful of snow, you often unconsciously hold your breath, which causes big increases in heart rate and blood pressure.
• Exposure to cold air causes constriction of blood vessels throughout the body, disproportionately raising blood pressure and simultaneously constricting the coronary arteries.

“The movements of snow shoveling are very taxing and demanding on your body and can cause significant increases in your heart rate and blood pressure,” Dr. Keith Churchwell, the association’s volunteer president, said in the release. “Combined with the fact that the exposure to cold air can constrict blood vessels throughout the body, you’re asking your heart to do a lot more work in conditions that are already diminishing the heart’s ability to function at its best.”

Oseni encouraged Kentuckians with known risk factors for heart attacks to get someone else to do their snow removal.

Those risks include high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obesity, diabetes, smoking, a sedentary lifestyle, having a previous history of heart disease or having a family history of heart disease.

If you have to shovel, Oseni encouraged Kentuckians to take special care by warming up and stretching before going outside and to wear layers, including a hat and something to cover your mouth so that you don’t inhale cold air. These things, he said, can help reduce the risk of having a heart attack.

He also encouraged Kentuckians to make sure they use proper shoveling techniques, which include pushing snow instead of lifting it.

But the most important thing, he said, is to know the signs of a heart attack and when to call for help.

Common symptoms of a heart attack include chest pain or pressure, shortness of breath, pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach, heart racing, extreme fatigue, dizziness, lightheadedness, nausea, heart palpitations, irregular heart rhythms and a feeling of impending doom.

If you have any of these symptoms, Oseni urged Kentuckians to seek help immediately.

“Time matters,” he said. “A lot of time we say ‘time is muscle’ when it comes to heart attacks and it’s really important to call for help on time because when you delay, things might potentially become irreversible.”

Health care providers say “time is muscle’ because every minute that passes without treatment increases the amount of heart muscle that dies.