Why is it that many men have heart attacks and die when mowing the yard.?

Question

I have know quite a few friends of the family, church members, etc. that have had heart attacks and have died when mowing their yard. Many of them were between age 50 - 60. What is it about mowning as compared to other manual labor in the heat?

Answer 1

Physical stress resulting in depletion of oxygen to the heart. Lawn mowers normal overdo for which their heart is not physically capable. Hence acute massive Infarction results and sudden death/death ensues.
People in the above age group must be warned not to overdo specially in hot (water depletion) or cold weather (coronary spasm).
Precautionary method is to take a sublingual pill prior starting mowing but within limits say 5 minutes than a break than 10 minutes and a break, better on empty stomach, nothing doing after you had your breakfast or a large meal.

Answer 2

Mowing the lawn is probably one of the more strenuous activities that they do. Any manual labor done in the heat could cause a heart attack.

Answer 3

It is because this type of exercise creates unusual excessively high transient pulse pressures (Pp) which then exacerbate possibly, (-even probably) already -high mean systemic arterial pressure (Pm) in people with circulatory problems. The systolic pressure (Ps) is what causes blood vessel rupture, and the equation for systolic pressure is:-
Ps = Pm + 2Pp/3.
The abnormally high systolic pressure is due to the brain configuring an aberrantly high ratio of stroke volume (the amount of blood pumped out per stroke) to pulse-rate (N) to deliver the required amount of cardiac output to meet the body's needs,

(Stroke volume x Pulse rate = Cardiac output)

Pulse pressure Pp at the outlet of the heart is directly proportional to stroke volume and so too high a stroke volume generates too high a pulse pressure, and the "2Pp/3" term above thus gives rise to very excessive systolic pressures. These burst blood vessels, and cause not only heart attacks but strokes too.

In the case of a man mowing grass on a hot day, his effective (mean systemic arterial) pressure will already be elevated simply by the increased effort, and the heat, to begin with.

Now, citing typical clinical figures, a normal "resting" cardiac output is about 5 litres/minute. However, say for instance on this hot day, and under the greatly increased stress of mowing, his body now demands 20 litres/minute. The brain could accomplish this by doubling the heart rate and doubling the stroke volume. BUT, .. IF - (typically by beta-blocking!) - the pulse rate is inhibited from rising properly to meet the additional demand, then the stroke volume has to rise to almost unimaginable levels to try to meet the20 litres "demand". His pulse pressure rises proportionately, and when 2/3rds of it is added to the mean pressure, it may be seen how huge systolic levels are generated.

To make things worse, there is every possiblity that the individual concerned is already 'on beta-blockers', which means he even starts at a disadvantage, because his pulse-rate will already be low, (say 55bpm) so his stroke volume (and pulse-pressure already too high).
I leave you to work the figures out yourself -as homework! But if you want to get in touch and discuss it, feel free to email me.

Answer 4

I think its because we men are in a hurry to get it done and we don't really prepare ourselves for the stress that we put on the heart. In my cardiac rehab program, they really emphasize that we should "warm up" before doing a task like that. Where I live, shoveling snow in the winter is a bigger killer than mowing grass in the summer.

Answer 5

I am not supporting this guys actions, But even the court admitted that they have no evidence to prove that the patient died following Mr.Boyd's actions. 4 months in jail is a joke sentence. Typical British government rules. But I suppose when he gets out of jail, it gives the family of Norman Bell a chance of revenge.

Answer 6

For some people, mowing the grass is one of the most strenuous things that they do in a typical week.

Also, its often done in hot, sunny conditions.

Also, its the kind of thing people start, and they don't want to take a break, they just drive themselves to keep pushing until its done.

Answer 7

I think the whole breathing in what you are mowing is part of it, people should wear a mask. With all that stuff flying around, our lungs are trying to breathe as little as possible and so there's less oxygen for the mind & heart. Anyway, that's just what I think. (Also why water helps - oxygen in the water)

Answer 8

because this is the only exercise they do..so the function of mowing the lawn increases the blood flow/heart pumping etc..

the heart says "enough of this sh!t" and shuts down..

Answer 9

they try to do more than they can chew!.... sorry for them.