Hunting activities put an increased stress load on the heart

ST. LOUIS (KMOX) - Hunting comes with it's risks, but one thing you may never have thought about is the number of hunters who suffer cardiac events in the woods.

Laurinda Harjai, a cardiology provider at OSF HealthCare Saint Anthony’s Health Center, says they have seen some hunters, usually in the age between 40-60 years-old, see an elevated stress load on the heart.

"For a lot of Americans, we have pretty sedentary lifestyles, and you may not do much from a workout perspective between hunting seasons," said Harjai on Total Information A.M. "What we have seen is the excitement of going into the woods, the elevated heart rate, the excitement of the day, maybe dragging a deer and having to drag that in from the woods, it put's more stress to the heart more so than a stress test we would do in the hospital in the clinic."

Harjai says for many hunters, who often begin hunting in their youth, as they get older, they begin to develop risk factors for coronary artery disease, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and more.

"For a lot of people, if you have underlying heart disease and you put that stress on your heart, it's more exertional than a stress test and that can bring about a heart attack." said Harjai.

Harjai stressed the importance for hunters who may be susceptible to risks factors for coronary artery disease to avoid hunting alone, try and carry aspirin with them, and knowing if they are experiencing symptoms.

"Don't hunt alone, be able to contact someone if you are experiencing symptoms such as chest pain, chest pressure radiating to arms, jaws, or back, nausea, cold sweats, increased shortness of breath" said Harjai. "If you carrying the deer and are experiencing symptoms, stop, get help. It's not the time to be the woods warrior and be a hero in that aspect."