Overview
- UMass Memorial reported nine STEMI heart attacks in a 24‑hour span on Monday with eight beginning during snow shoveling, and the hospital said none were shovel‑triggered on Tuesday or Wednesday.
- Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, confirmed three deaths during snow removal that the coroner ruled natural and consistent with cardiac events.
- Emergency departments across several regions reported increased cases of chest pain, hypothermia, frostbite and slip‑and‑fall injuries as residents cleared heavy snow.
- Cardiologists explain that cold causes blood vessels to constrict and blood pressure to rise while shoveling can drive heart rate near maximum within minutes, making the first 10 to 15 minutes especially risky.
- Health groups urge high‑risk people to avoid shoveling and advise warming up, pushing rather than lifting, using smaller loads, taking frequent breaks, dressing in layers and calling 911 for persistent warning signs.