Seasonal Flu Shot Lowers Risk of Heart Attack

People who get a seasonal flu shot reduce the risk of having a first heart attack by 19%, a new study recently published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal states. Having the flu shot early in the season also gives greater protection against heart attack as compared to having the shot later.

Study on Flu Shot and Heart Attack Risk

Researchers in the United Kingdom studied 78,706 patients age 40 and older. Of this group, the researchers found that patients who had a seasonal flu shot within the past year were at a reduced rate for having a heart attack. Also, those who had the shot in September to November reduced the risk of heart attack by 21 percent while those who had the shot later only reduced the risk by 12 percent. The researchers believe their findings not only reinforce the current recommendations for the flu shot but may also add to the flu vaccination recommendations in the future. While people with heart disease are already included in the target group of those who should have a flu shot, the flu shot also benefited people with no history of heart disease. If further study reinforces their findings, they believe it can change the recommendations for flu shots, as well as the timing, in the future.

Importance of Flu Shot for Heart Disease Patients

The Mayo Clinic of Rochester, MN, agrees that flu shots are vital for those who are already at risk for heart disease or those who have it. People with heart disease who become sick with the flu have a higher risk of developing complications such as respiratory failure, pneumonia and heart attack. Even if you still get the flu after having a flu shot, you will probably experience a less severe case and are at a lower risk for complications.

The Mayo Clinic advises people with heart disease get the flu shot early in the fall when it first becomes available. However, if you haven't received one early on, it is still advised to get one even if it is later in the season and not to skip it. Also, people who have heart disease must get the flu shot, not the nasal spray. It has been found that the nasal spray vaccine can actually cause flu symptoms in people with heart disease.

Sources:

Science Daily "Seasonal Flu Vaccine Lowers Risk of First Heart Attack, Study Finds"

Mayo Clinic "Flu Shots: Especially Important if You Have Heart Disease"