Protect your heart while shoveling snow

Tribune Staff Report

Tools

By Beth Boehne

Story Created: Jan 13, 2009 at 1:38 PM EST

Story Updated: Jan 13, 2009 at 3:04 PM EST

With plenty of snow having fallen in Michiana and more on the way, the American Heart Association is offering tips on how to safely clear snow from driveways and walkways.

For some people, shoveling snow can lead to an increased risk of heart attack.

One of the reasons heart attacks can occur during snow shoveling is the combination of colder temperatures and physical exertion. That increases the workload on the heart. Increased strain on the heart during extreme temperatures can cause a heart attack.

Here is a list of tips from the American Heart Association to make snow removal safer:

  • Consult a doctor. If you have a medical condition, don’t exercise on a regular basis, or are middle-aged or older, schedule a meeting with your doctor before shoveling snow.

  • Give yourself a break. Take frequent rest breaks during shoveling so you don’t overstress your heart. Pay attention to how your body feels during those breaks.

  • Don’t eat a heavy meal prior or soon after shoveling. Eating a large meal can put an extra load on your heart.

  • Don’t drink alcoholic beverages before or immediately after shoveling. Alcohol may increase a person’s sensation of warmth and cause them to underestimate the extra strain their body is under in the cold.

  • Be aware of the dangers of hypothermia. Most heart deaths related to hypothermia are caused by heart failure. To prevent hypothermia, dress in layers of warm clothing, which traps air between layers and forms a protective insulation. Wear a hat, because much of the body’s heat can be lost through your head.

  • Use a small shovel or consider a snow thrower. The act of lifting heavy snow can raise blood pressure acutely during the lift. It is safer to lift smaller amounts more times than to lug a few huge shovelfuls of snow. When possible, simply push the snow.

  • Listen to your body. If you feel the warning signs for heart attack, stop what you’re doing immediately and call 911.

    Heart attack warning signs

    The warning signs of a heart attack include:

  • Uncomfortable pressure, fullness, squeezing or pain in the center of the chest that lasts for more than a few minutes, or goes away and comes back.

  • Pain spreading to the shoulders, neck and arms.

  • Chest discomfort with lightheadedness, fainting, sweating, nausea or shortness of breath.

    For more information, call the American Heart Association at (800) AHA-USA1 or visit online at www.americanheart.org.

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