Heart Attack Snow Is A Very Real Thing – Here Are The Red Flags

Every winter, the term "heart attack" snow starts floating around. When I was a kid, I never really understood it. But it's important that we do, and we remember the symptoms.

First: what exactly is heart attack snow? It's exactly what it sounds like. It's heavy snow that accumulates so much that clearing it can literally give you a heart attack. It can happen whether you shovel or use a snowblower.

According to experts at Harvard Medical School, "Cold weather is another contributor because it can boost blood pressure, interrupt blood flow to part of the heart, and make blood more likely to form clots."

Terrifying, I know. But the best thing you can do is be knowledgeable. We learned heart attack symptoms in school, but we could all probably use a refresher right?

These are your red flags, according to the American Heart Association:

• Chest discomfort. Most heart attacks involve discomfort in the center of the chest that lasts more than a few minutes – or it may go away and then return. It can feel like uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain.
• Discomfort in other areas of the upper body. Symptoms can include pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach.
• Shortness of breath. This can occur with or without chest discomfort.
• Other signs. Other possible signs include breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea or lightheadedness.

Now let's not WebMD ourselves and freak out, but just keep those in mind.