Moderate snowfalls were linked to an increase in hospital admissions for heart attacks and other cardiovascular illnesses, not heavy snowfalls, say researchers who combed through hospital records after Boston was walloped in 2015. The study on admissions for cardiovascular diseases, cold-weather related conditions such as frostbite, and falls and injuries was published on Monday in the American Journal of Epidemiology. "Cardiovascular disease admissions were higher mostly on the moderate snowfall days. The researchers hypothesize the cardiovascular admissions were related to heart disease from shovelling snow by those who aren't fit, based on previous studies pointing to a shovelling effect on fatal heart attacks after a bilizzard. At the same time, admissions for falls increased by 18 per cent on average for both moderate and low snowfall days.

Source: CBC News January 30, 2017 22:52 UTC