In the past decade, numerous studies have shown that snow shoveling increases heart stress and the risk of heart attack, especially in people with heart disease or risk factors for it. There is documented evidence of a rise in the heart attack rate after a heavy snowfall.

Many of those studies showed dramatic increases in both blood pressure and heart rate. Since heart attacks are most often caused by a blood clot, researchers at Michigan State University investigated the effects of shoveling on those factors that affect the blood's ability to clot.

They told the recent meeting of the American Heart Association that they were surprised to learn that snow shoveling did not increase the body's tendency to form blood clots in the healthy young men they tested. They are conducting a follow-up study to determine whether such findings apply to older people who are at greater risk for heart attack.

Even though the cause-and-effect question is not fully answered, earlier advice to leave the snow shoveling to someone else if you are at risk for heart disease still stands.

Related information: Lifestyle changes - Manage stress | Lifestyle changes - Exercise - Safety