Hey Docs,
Just had a question regarding shoveling and heart attacks. I know there are lots of articles that get posted regarding the risks of shoveling and provoking heart attacks in individuals. The reasoning is that individuals basically overexert themselves, lift too much snow, go too quickly, combined with the cold weather and constriction of blood vessels + valsalva.
My question is if there is a unique risk to shoveling other than the overexertion component? Does the cold truly make a significant difference? I realize there may not be a ton of direct data on this, but just curious on your general opinions on the matter.
Love the show, the content and all you guys do for health literacy!
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I wouldn’t say it’s a unique risk to shoveling, no – but rather the exertion compared with the person’s level of fitness. But yes, the environment does appear to play a unique role (thought to be related to things like vasoconstriction, as well as other cardiovascular and hematologic effects), especially when combined with underlying atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (which may be unknown/undiagnosed at the time of an event).
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I realize this is very much an “it depends” type of question:
In an individual who exercises (performs both resistance and aerobic training of moderate intensity with consistency) regularly, but who may have a history of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, would you feel like you need to restrict someone from shoveling? Or would you just offer similar advice as you might to training: keep your level of exertion/intensity at a tolerable and sustainable level while shoveling.
This whole topic just interests me because my entire family was extraordinarily worried at the prospect of my father going out to shovel the driveway even though he is otherwise physically active, and in reasonably fit condition despite a history of CVD.
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