AHA: Shoveling heavy snow may increase risk for heart attack, sudden cardiac death
Individuals who shovel heavy snow may face increased risk for MI or sudden cardiac arrest due to the increased exertion necessary for the task, according to a press release from the American Heart Association.
In its 2020 scientific statement on exercise and CV risk, the AHA addressed the hazards of snow shoveling.
As Healio previously reported, evidence supports that regular exercise improved CV health, but for some, extreme endurance exercise can be harmful to those unable to handle it.
"Shoveling snow is a very strenuous activity, made even more so by the impact that cold temperatures have on your body, increasing the blood pressure while simultaneously constricting the coronary arteries. It really is a ‘perfect storm’ for acute cardiac events," Barry A. Franklin, PhD, chair of the writing committee for the statement, director of preventive cardiology and cardiac rehabilitation at Beaumont Health, Royal Oak, Michigan, and professor of internal medicine at Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine, said in the release. "Among the many findings of our research, we saw that the cardiac demands of heavy snow shoveling, including marked increases in the heart rate and systolic blood pressure, could equal and exceed the upper levels achieved during maximal treadmill testing in sedentary men. In one study, we found that after only 2 minutes of snow shoveling, study participants’ heart rates exceeded the upper limit — 85% of maximal heart rate — commonly prescribed for aerobic exercise testing. The least fit subjects demonstrated the highest heart rates during shoveling.”
According to the release, individuals who shovel snow should not exert themselves too much, take short breaks and know that pushing the snow with a shovel is preferred over lifting and throwing it.
Franklin added that not only can snow shoveling be dangerous, but the exertion of pushing a snow blower can also elevate heart rate and BP.
“The impact of snow removal is especially concerning for people who already have cardiovascular risks like a sedentary lifestyle or obesity, being a current or former smoker, having diabetes, high cholesterol or high blood pressure, as well as people who have had a heart attack or stroke,” Franklin said in the release. “People with these characteristics and those who have had bypass surgery or coronary angioplasty simply should not be shoveling snow.”
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