This is the deadliest week of the year for heart attacks in Iowa, and one potential cause may be overexertion from shoveling snow.
Rob Gavora, chief administrative officer at MercyOne–Iowa Heart Center in Des Moines, says snow shoveling is a common winter chore that can become dangerous if people push themselves too hard.
“Yes, it definitely is a risk,” Gavora says. “Actually, even just being out in the cold in general can sometimes restrict blood flow. Unusual activities like that, indulging in certain types of foods or not exercising, anything that is different for folks, or getting them off their routines just increases your risk for having some type of event.”
Gavora says it’s important to know your body’s limits and avoid overdoing it. For some Iowans, that may mean hiring someone else to clear the snow or using a snowblower instead of a shovel.
“If there are different ways to snow blow, have somebody else help with some of that work so it’s broken up is definitely recommended,” Gavora says. “It’s also recommended to have somebody who, if you are again someone who does need to shovel, that you’re not outside for more than 10, 15, 20 minutes. And take breaks. Don’t have just one long episode or event that might be straying from the norm in terms of how you normally work out, especially being out in the cold for that long period of time.”
A study from the American Heart Association finds more Iowans die from heart attacks during the final week of December than any other week of the year. Nationally, the most cardiac deaths occur on December 25th, followed by December 26th and January 1st.
