Seniors heart attack by snow shoveling

Snow shoveling can be dangerous for seniors

01/20/2015

Snow shoveling can be dangerous, especially for over 60s. Excessive exercise and inhalation of cold air can cause health problems. It threatens not only dislocations or strains, but also heart attacks, as a new study from Switzerland shows.

Especially dangerous for untrained seniors
According to a new study from Switzerland, snow shoveling can be quite dangerous especially for untrained seniors. This is shown by a mini study by the University Emergency Hospital of the Inselspital Bern, as reported by the Swiss national news agency SDA. The study is said to be based on a database of only 21 cases in 13 years, but the researchers nevertheless point out their article, recently published in the Swiss Medical Weekly „Swiss Medical Weekly“ (SMW), on the health risks of snow shoveling.

Vascular constriction and increased blood pressure
Above all, it is the combination of exaggerated physical activity with the inhalation of cold air, which could lead to vasoconstriction and increased blood pressure. Among other things, this can increase the risk of a heart attack. The survey of the Bernese research team showed that the majority of the patients (eleven in total), because of „orthopedic complaints“ after the snow shoveling went to the emergency, so for example because of sprains. However, five in twenty-one patients suffered from a heart attack. All of them had to be hospitalized. Three of the patients with snow shovel accidents were operated on.

Warm up before snow shoveling and pause
According to the figures, men over the age of 60 are particularly at risk of injuring themselves by shoveling snow. Accordingly, about 80 percent of heart attacks fell on men. Scientists attribute this to the fact that men are more likely to snow clear than women, or are more overexertive than women. In a communication, the Inselspital recommends warming up for snow removal, as before winter sports, and taking breaks. In addition, it is certainly advisable to basically do more for the fitness. In the past, several studies have shown that both strength training and endurance training in senior citizens lead to a significant improvement in the strength and medical risk profile. Conversely, it was found that lack of exercise increases the risk of heart attack or stroke.

More injuries in the US
As it is further said, the figures do not allow any conclusions about the overall Swiss situation, because only cases in the emergency center of the Inselspital were evaluated. But compared to the US, where about four out of every 100,000 people go to emergency every year for snow shovel injuries, such incidents are rare in Switzerland. The authors of the study assume that, thanks to public snow removal in Switzerland, not so many people have to resort privately to the snow shovel as in the USA. (Ad)