From viruses to cold air to snow and ice, there are plenty of factors that can impact your health during the winter months. There are five culprits behind most winter-related emergency room visits. Viral Infections Respiratory viruses like flu, COVID-19, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) keep emergency rooms busy during winter. One in five Americans gets the flu every year, with at least 200 thousand hospitalizations and 36 thousand deaths. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) data shows that las...
If you had to go to the emergency room right now, would you be prepared? The truth is, emergencies can happen at any moment, anywhere. Car and bicycle accidents, heart attacks, sports and other serious injuries are not planned events, but taking a little time to plan for the unexpected could take a lot of the stress out of the experience. “There are a few steps everyone can take right now that will not only relieve their own anxiety if the worst happens, but can make it easier for first responders...
"The heart can't go from supporting a sedentary lifestyle to supporting rigorous activity in extreme conditions." It is unavoidable – the snow is here. What can be avoided is having a heart attack while trying to remove snow from driveways and sidewalks. Studies have shown that men, more than women, are at significant risk of experiencing a heart attack during or after shoveling snow. "The combination of cold weather and sudden and intense cardio can trigger a heart attack," said Raymond Rudoni, MD , em...