‘Heart Attack Snow’ On LI: Healthcare Pros Urge Caution When Shoveling

LONG ISLAND, NY. — As a blizzard continues blanketing Long Island in almost 2 feet of snow, healthcare professionals are telling Nassau and Suffolk residents to take plenty of caution as they begin shoveling.

Sunday and Monday’s snow is a heavier, wetter variety, sometimes referred to as “heart attack snow” due to the exertion needed to shovel it — and the potential consequences of not shoveling that snow safely.

Long Islanders woke up to up to 20 inches of snow Monday, rendering residents homebound and wreaking havoc on th Nassau County police reported 75 accidents had taken place between Sunday and Monday mornings.

While school districts and grocery stores are already closed, there will come a time when cars, driveways, sidewalks, decks and stoops need to be cleared. When the time comes, experts say it’s important to shovel responsibly.

“Every time we see blizzards like this, where there's a lot of snow to clear, inevitably, we end up seeing people coming into the hospital with heart attacks and strokes,” Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell assistant professor of cardiology Dr. Neil Shah said. “This is quite a bit of strenuous activity and exertion that's required to clear that snow that people often underestimate.”

Dr. Adam Wos, chairperson for emergency medicine at Northwell Health’s Mather Hospital, said there’s also serious risk of injuring backs and other joints when people start lifting heavy loads of snow like the ones currently sitting on Long Island driveways. While Wos said cardiac incidents are less common, he noted that the factors present during a blizzard can create a dangerous set of circumstances that can lead to heart attacks.

“The most common issues we see with snow shoveling is back injuries. People are repeatedly bending, lifting, and twisting their torso with a lot of weight, and it's not uncommon for them to experience muscle strains or even herniated disks,” Wos said. “People can also slip and fall while shoveling, and that can cause joint sprains, fractured bones, and head injuries. Cardiac problems are less common but much more serious. The combination of the energy required to shovel and the constriction of arteries from the cold weather is a dangerous set up that can cause the coronary arteries to not deliver enough blood to the heart muscle — this is the definition of a heart attack.”

Dr. Jay Itzkowitz, clinical chair of emergency medicine at Mount Sinai South Nassau, said there had already been patients coming into MSSN with trip-and-fall injuries Monday.

“We've had a couple of patients coming into the ED already this morning with trip and falls, and some injuries from just slipping on the ice or slipping on the snow,” Itzkowitz said. “Last time we had the big storm, the big concern that people talk about for a while is actually people overdoing it and actually presenting with cardiac conditions or heart attacks. If you have medical conditions, or you're older [do] not overexert yourself in these conditions. Stay inside and be careful, because it is slippery outside.”

Daya Manmadhan, director of nursing in the emergency department at Mount Sinai South Nassau, said there are some precautions people can take to limit the risk of injury or heart attack while shoveling.

“Our advice would be just to make sure they’re pushing the snow, rather than lifting it,” Manmadhan said. “Lifting is where they cause, really, stress to their back and to their heart — and take frequent breaks. It’s not that cold today, but [people need to] wear appropriate clothing.”

Itzkowitz added that the risk of overexertion while shoveling isn’t something that takes a long time to build up. In fact, it can happen within minutes.

“Even after a couple of minutes, that's any type of exertion can lead to [overexertion]. So it doesn't necessarily have to be like a half hour, 45 minutes into shoveling. It could be within five or 10 minutes. Any type of exertion, especially when it's heavy, it actually requires more exertion,” Itzkowitz said.

As for the “heart attack snow” label, Wos recommended extra caution when shoveling a wet snow like this one, noting that a denser drift of snow will inevitably carry some extra weight.

“Wet snow can be three to five times heavier than dry snow,” Wos said. “It may be called ‘heart attack snow’ because of the significantly heavier load with each shovelful, which strains the cardiovascular system that much more. I would recommend using extra caution while shoveling wet snow, taking smaller shovelfuls and taking more frequent breaks.”

Sharma added that warming up before shoveling could be a helpful tip. Marching in place, rolling your shoulders and listening to your body, the Zucker School assistant professor said, can do a world of good.

Echoing the advice of his counterparts at other institutions, Wos said it was important to know what you’re getting into when you go outside to shovel. Even for people who have passed stress tests or remain in good health, Wos said proper stretching, hydration and clothing was important.

“People need to approach snow shoveling for what it is — a vigorous exercise,” Wos said. “You can't just go out there without a plan. First make sure your heart is healthy enough for you to shovel. If your heart or other medical conditions limit your physical activity, then shoveling is not for you, and you should call someone to help you.”

And, with almost 2 feet of snow on the ground, the doctor advised that it wouldn’t be the worst thing to stop and take a breather.

“It's also a good idea to listen to your body and take frequent breaks,” Wos said.