‘Heart attack snow': Why NJ doctors warn against shoveling

❄️Heavy, wet 'heart attack snow' is expected to dump over a foot across parts of NJ

❄️Doctors warn snow shoveling and cold temperatures can trigger heart attacks

❄️Healthy people can also be seriously impacted

The internet has nicknamed the snow from our latest snowstorm "heart attack snow" for good reason: shoveling it could have a grave impact.

New Jersey 101.5 Chief Meteorologist Dan Zarrow says, unlike the January snowstorm, when the snow was dry and fluffy, this time it will be heavy and wet. Plus, there will be more of it with over a foot expected. For those with a heart condition or not in the best of shape, it's probably best to leave the shoveling to someone else.

Hospital emergency rooms tend to see a large increase in the number of people with chest pain and shortness of breath during snowstorms, most of which can be blamed on shoveling, according to Dr. Alina Mitina, an emergency medicine specialist with Hackensack University Medical Center.

Even those who are in decent shape can be affected.

"Even if they do moderate exercise on a daily basis, they go out, and they are going in and having so much strenuous exercise outside. Shoveling 15 inches of snow is extremely difficult, and it increases your risk of having a heart attack because you're not used to this type of exercise," Mitina said.

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How to shovel snow safely

Mitina said that just going outside into the cold can have an impact on your body by constricting blood vessels, which strains the heart and can lead to a heart attack. The body also sends other signals to indicate that you should think twice about shoveling.

"There's actually tons of signs. Chest pain or chest pressure, especially in the middle of your chest or on the left side of your chest. Any shortness of breath that's abnormal for you, especially when you exercise, any arm pain, jaw pain, maybe upper back pain, or even feeling like you're dizzy and you want to pass out," Mitina said.

If you do have to shovel, Mitina says there are some steps you can take to mitigate the ill effects on your body before and after you shovel.

• Take breaks
• Shovel in short increments of 2-5 minutes
• Go inside, rest, and rejuvenate
• Ask someone in your house or a neighbor to help

"When you go back inside the house, make sure it's warm, take off all your wet clothes, and then maybe do some light exercises at the end of shoveling to warm down, even stretching or lightly walking, and then taking a seat and making sure your heart rate goes down at a very slow rate," Mitina said.

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