Cardiologist shares how shoveling snow can be hazardous to your health
Doctors say shoveling snow from your driveway can significantly increase the risk of a heart attack because of how cold it is and the increased exertion.
Shoveling snow can be dangerous, especially for those with risk factors that could lead to a heart attack, like those with high blood pressure, obesity, and who are over the age of 65.
Dr. Delair Gardi, an interventional cardiologist with the Detroit Medical Center, says it's all about minimizing risk. He encourages people to stretch before shoveling and take breaks periodically.
"The best advice I can give you is stay well hydrated," Gardi said. "Number two, we have to be always warm. Number three, you should take breaks, which means if you are going to go out and do this for a few minutes, please take a break for a moment. The snow is not going to run away; you are not in a race."
With most of Southeast Michigan projected to get between four and eight inches of snow and with the potential for single-digit wind chills, the American Heart Association warns that this is a perfect storm for heart health hazards.
"If you grab the shovel and there is only a few inches of snow outside, that will add a lot of stress to your heart, and this move of you grabbing the snow and trying to move it up and throw it is going to put a lot of pressure on your heart, and believe it or not, the amount of pressure you put with just two minutes of doing those little moves is equal to exercising on the treadmill for 10-15 minutes," Gardi said.
Dr. Gardi urges Metro Detroiters to bundle up appropriately because breathing in cold air causes constriction of blood vessels throughout the body.
If you have any concerns about your heart health, talk to your doctor before shoveling snow, or consider alternatives like using a snow blower or hiring someone to plow your driveway.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Epoch Times
14 hours ago
- Epoch Times
How a Healthy Heart Boosts Your Body From Head to Toe
Heart health isn't just about preventing heart attacks; it's a crystal ball for your future well-being. A recent review of nearly 500 studies found that heart health reduces risk of dementia by 86 percent, kidney disease by 62 percent, and cancer by 20 percent. Each additional heart-healthy habit also cuts the risk of depression by 10 percent. The findings indicate that keeping a healthy heart puts you on a path to better health from head to toe, Dr. Stacey E. Rosen, president of the American Heart Association and senior vice president of women's health at Northwell Health, told The Epoch Times. The 7 Simple Metrics That Predict Your Future The new review in the Journal of the American Heart Association centered on what doctors call Life's Simple 7 (LS7), a framework that measures heart health through seven key areas.
Tom's Guide
a day ago
- Tom's Guide
Should you heat or ice a muscle injury? New study has found the answer
We're hardly short on ways to boost muscle recovery, whether it's pummeling ourselves with the best massage guns or paying a visit to the local physiotherapist. But a debate has been simmering in the background about hot and cold therapy, and it's this: is heat or ice better for muscle recovery? Or both? Growing up, I've always been taught to apply ice to swollen ankles or sore muscles post-workout, but then the rise of heat therapy came along, and suddenly, you're either jumping into an ice bath, braving an infrared sauna, or flipping between the two in something called 'Contrast Water Therapy.' Now, a study says this is the real answer. Here's what it shows. A study published in the Journal of Physiology looked at the effects of hot water and cold water therapy on muscle recovery in 34 participants. They found evidence to suggest that hot water immersion therapy significantly improved recovery compared to cold water. They found evidence to suggest that hot water immersion therapy significantly improved recovery compared to cold water. Researchers simulated a muscle injury in a lab setting, then used several modalities to see which would offer the most improvement. Participants were offered three recovery methods: cold (15 minutes at 12 degrees Celsius / 53.6 Fahrenheit), hot (60 minutes at 42 degrees Celsius / 107.6 Fahrenheit) and room temperature (30 minutes at 12 degrees Celsius / 53.6 Fahrenheit), all performed daily for 10 days. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. Recovery was monitored using inflammation markers, muscle biopsies and performance testing. While strength improvements were similar in each setting, hot water showed to reduce perceived muscle pain and improve muscle damage markers; cold water didn't improve perceived muscle pain or reduce markers of damage. In short, the experiment found that hot water immersion could be more beneficial than cold water and room temperature immersion recovery methods for muscle regeneration and injury. Whether it's wild swimming, cryotherapy, or ice plunges, subjecting the body to temperatures below 15 degrees Celsius (59 degrees Fahrenheit) has been thought to have multiple benefits for the body, including boosting mood and focus and enhancing recovery. One study published in Biology reported participants felt more alert and attentive and less nervous or distressed after cold water bathing. The American Heart Association (AHA) warns of some risks associated with cold water immersion, and the data surrounding the practice is limited, so always exercise this form of recovery with caution and seek medical advice if you're unsure. There are many types of heat therapy, such as infrared saunas, traditional saunas, steam rooms and heat packs. However, it's hot water immersion — think hot tubs or similar — that could be the most effective. A study found that soaking in a hot tub, or soaking in hot water in general, could boost blood flow, immune response and cardiovascular health compared with traditional or infrared saunas when assessing heat methods. This could be in part because the immersion method helps raise core body temperature more effectively, which could be a key stimulus for the responses the study found. Then, there's contrast therapy, or hot and cold therapy (as it's also known). This involves switching between both methods in the same recovery session, allowing you to benefit from the energizing and mood-boosting benefits of cold water, followed by the soothing and relaxing benefits of heat. Here's a little evidence to support the method: a study published in PLoS One found that contrast therapy outperformed passive recovery or rest in reducing muscle pain after workouts in athletes. The next time you're faced with the decision: Hot or cold? Now you know which way to swing. Follow Tom's Guide on Google News to get our up-to-date news, how-tos, and reviews in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button.
Associated Press
2 days ago
- Associated Press
Researchers awarded $10.5 million to study use of AI in addressing cardiovascular disease
( NewMediaWire ) - July 24, 2025 - DALLAS — Research teams from Kaiser Permanente Division of Research in Pleasanton, California, and the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor have been awarded a total of $10.5 million to conduct research projects that explore ways to use artificial intelligence (AI) to accelerate and improve screening and treatment for cardiovascular disease, the leading cause of death in the U.S. The projects are funded through a special research grant from the American Heart Association, a global force changing the future of health for all. 'AI was once relegated to the realm of science fiction; however, it's quickly becoming a part of everyday life for all of us. The American Heart Association has been a leader in cardiovascular science and research for more than a century, and we recognize the importance of learning how we can harness this revolutionary tool to improve health for people everywhere,' said Stacey E. Rosen, M.D., FAHA, American Heart Association volunteer president, senior vice president of Women's Health and executive director of the Katz Institute for Women's Health of Northwell Health in New York City. 'I'm very excited about these two new research projects we are funding and look forward to the knowledge we may gain for how AI technology can empower health care professionals to make informed decisions and, ultimately, improve health outcomes and save lives.' The awards, which started July 1, 2025, will fund the following research: Kaiser Permanente Division of Research Center: Screening Cardiometabolic Opportunities Using Transformative Echocardiography Artificial Intelligence (Team SCOUT-Echo-AI) – This multi-disciplinary research team is led by David Ouyang, M.D., a research scientist at the Kaiser Permanente Northern California Division of Research and a non-invasive cardiologist at Kaiser Permanente Santa Clara Medical Center. The team will look at ways to use AI to expand the usefulness of heart ultrasounds, or echocardiograms, which are common, inexpensive, portable tests that don't use radiation. While doctors currently use ultrasounds to check the heart, these scans can also show nearby organs like the liver and kidneys. Although previous research has found that conditions impacting the kidneys and liver can lead to an increased risk of complications related to cardiovascular disease, cardiologists aren't trained to look for problems in these other organs. The team will conduct a prospective multi-center clinical trial to evaluate whether AI technology can be used to detect early signs of kidney and liver disease on heart ultrasounds. They'll test their method in four different health care systems (Stanford Health Care, Cedars-Sinai, Massachusetts General Brigham and Kaiser Permanente Northern California) to find the best ways to alert doctors and patients to these findings. Early diagnosis of kidney and liver disease can improve the chances of getting treatment for these conditions, as well as reduce the complications that impact cardiovascular disease. Early diagnosis and treatment of kidney and liver disease is increasingly important because the prevalence of cardiovascular, kidney and liver disease are all on the rise, as referenced in several reports from the American Heart Association: University of Michigan: INSIGHT-CPR: Integrated Neural networks and wearable Sensor to Instantaneously Guide Hemodynamic-direcTed CPR – This research team is led by Cindy Hsu, M.D., Ph.D., M.S., division chief of critical care in the University of Michigan Department of Emergency Medicine. The team will explore whether AI can improve the way CPR is delivered to people who experience sudden cardiac arrest. Sudden cardiac arrest is a life-threatening medical emergency that happens when the heart suddenly stops beating. Immediately beginning CPR with chest compressions can help save lives by getting blood circulating through the heart and the rest of the body. Most patients need many minutes of CPR to sustain the body until the heart's normal function resumes. The longer it takes for the heart to resume normal activity, the worse outcomes they have. If CPR was personalized based on each patient's specific needs, it could sustain bodily functions more effectively. However, emergency responders can't always measure how effective CPR is because blood pressure measurements require inserting catheters and are affected by the recoil of the patient's chest wall during CPR. The research team has used AI to create an innovative algorithm integrated with a noninvasive wearable sensor to accurately measure blood pressure, even during CPR. This technology can help doctors and emergency responders see, in real time, how well blood is flowing to the arterial circulation, so they can adjust their techniques and medications to give patients the best chance of survival. In this project, the team will further develop and test this algorithm and sensor with plans to commercialize the tool so that it is widely available to potentially save more lives. According to the American Heart Association: 'While artificial intelligence and machine-learning may seem like the buzz phrases of the day, pioneering research has long been an essential element of the American Heart Association's work, and these new research grants are not our first foray into this space,' Rosen said. 'We've been instrumental in bringing cutting-edge technology to millions of scientists across the globe through our Precision Medicine Platform launched nearly a decade ago, and we will continue to drive those projects that can add to the body of science that supports our lifesaving mission to be a relentless force for a world of longer, healthier lives.' Funding scientific research and discovery through initiatives like these grants is a cornerstone of the American Heart Association's lifesaving mission. The Association has funded more than $6 billion in cardiovascular, cerebrovascular and brain health research since 1949, making it the single largest nonprofit, non-government supporter of heart and brain health research in the U.S. New knowledge resulting from this funding continues to save lives and directly impact millions of people in every corner of the U.S. and around the world. ### About the American Heart Association The American Heart Association is a relentless force for a world of longer, healthier lives. Dedicated to ensuring equitable health in all communities, the organization has been a leading source of health information for more than one hundred years. Supported by more than 35 million volunteers globally, we fund groundbreaking research, advocate for the public's health, and provide critical resources to save and improve lives affected by cardiovascular disease and stroke. By driving breakthroughs and implementing proven solutions in science, policy, and care, we work tirelessly to advance health and transform lives every day. Connect with us on Facebook, X or by calling 1-800-AHA-USA1. For Media Inquiries: Cathy Lewis, [email protected] For Public Inquiries: 1-800-AHA-USA1 (242-8721) and
