Cardiologist says WNY winters can cause increase in number of people having heart attacks, especially in the over-65 population. She explains why.
By Chris Motola
Q: You’re the former chief of medicine at UB. What were some of your accomplishments?
A: I’m a cardiologist by training. I’ve been here at UB since 2010. As chair of the department of medicine, it put me in charge of about 500 people. We do run an internal medicine practice that involves seeing inpatients and outpatients. We expanded the faculty and increased research as well as stabilized and grew the practice. So I think we left everything better off.
Q: So this tends to be a rough time of year for heart attacks. Why is that the case? Is it due to exertion?
A: I don’t know if I could quote you statistics on it, but there are definitely situations where people can have a cardiac arrest, and you hit the nail on the head with exertion. What happens is you have people, especially men who are older, who are pretty sedentary most of the time. A big snowstorm hits and they shovel the driveway and the walkway and they’re doing more exertion than they’re used to. That really does put a strain on the heart. If they have known or undiagnosed heart disease and those blockages are in the coronary arteries, it may not be a huge problem when they’re at rest. But that sudden burst of exertion on top of cold weather, which takes its toll anyway, and you can have a myocardial infarction, a heart attack. Sometimes what happens in that setting is you’ll get a sudden, lethal arrhythmia. So the heart goes out of rhythm all of a sudden and, if the person doesn’t get help almost instantaneously, it can lead to death.
Q: So the exertion is a bigger factor than the cold?
A: That is correct.
Q: Why do you think people have this hole in their knowledge about what they’re able to do physically? You don’t see people deciding to run a 5K on a moment’s notice.
A: You’re making a good point. Why, all of a sudden? It might be the perceived necessity of doing it or they just don’t think it’s as much exertion as it actually is. Living in Buffalo, snow can be extremely wet and heavy. I happen to be in very good physical condition and it can still be exhausting. It might be the perception that “I won’t be out here that long. It won’t be that bad” and “I need to take care of this.” In it leads to adverse outcomes.
Q: How might someone more accurately assess their readiness to do tackle large amounts of snow removal?
A: It depends on risk factors. If you’re a male over 65, you’re in a demographic that often gets into trouble. If you’re obese. If you have Type 2 diabetes. If you have hypertension. If you have high cholesterol. If you have a family history of heart disease. All those risk factors, the more you have, the more likely you are to get into trouble. And it’s not just diagnoses but how well treated you are. If you’re prescribed medications for cholesterol, for example, and you’re compliant, you’re at less risk than someone who isn’t.
Q: If you do think you’re at risk and still need to deal with the snow yourself, what kinds of precautions should you take?
A: I’d say take frequent breaks. Even a snowblower can be exhausting if the snow is pretty deep. But doing a little bit at a time, not trying to get it all done at once. And realize that there’s always tomorrow. It’s rare that someone has that urgent a need to get out in that kind of weather. If you have a medical emergency, call to have someone come and help you. People sometimes think things are urgent when they really aren’t. Especially when it puts them at risk of fatal cardiac event. The other thing to think about is keeping provisions in your house if you know that a storm is coming so you don’t have to worry about going out right away.
Q: You mentioned snowblowers even present some risks. Are there types of equipment that are better than others?
A: Hiring a teenager to do it is best for you. There are services that can do this, especially in a city that gets as much snow as Buffalo does. If you live in an area that doesn’t get as much snow, it may be harder to find services. People who do it more often, too, usually have a better idea of how much exertion it requires. It also helps to be well-dressed. You don’t want to put extra exertion on yourself by not being dressed for the weather.
Q: How does that contribute?
A: It’s an added stress. You can get short of breath. Hypothermia is a risk if you’re out there long enough. That’s not likely to happen if you’re dealing with temperatures in the 30s, but it can be a risk if it’s colder and you’re not dressed for it.
Q: How can older man and women too, keep themselves conditioned for labor?
A: There are very clear recommendations with regards to getting exercise every week. And at absolute minimum, you should be trying to walk 30 minutes at a time at least five days a week. Even that kind of minimal exercise will get you into better condition regardless of your age. If you have knee and hip problems, you can do exercise that’s gentler on the joints like using a pool, bicycle or elliptical machines.
Lifelines
Name: Anne B. Curtis, M.D.
Position: Cardiac electrophysiologist and former president and chairwoman of UBMD Internal Medicine. Chairwoman of the Department of Medicine at UB.
Hometown: Brooklyn
Education: Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, M.D.; Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center, residency; Duke University Medical Center, fellowships;
Affiliations: Buffalo General Medical Center
Organizations: Heart Rhythm Society, American College of Cardiology
Family: Three adult children
Hobbies: Tennis, pickleball, running