Flu Shot Highly Recommended for People with Heart Disease
Anyone can get the flu. But while many who do may not require extensive care or antiviral medications and can recover in less than two weeks, people with chronic health problems are at high risk for serious flu-related complications that can lead to long-term illness, hospitalization and death. This includes people with heart disease.
The flu is associated with increased incidences of heart attack and stroke. Abdulla A. Damluji, M.D., a board-certified interventional cardiologist at the LifeBridge Health Cardiovascular Institute, says multiple studies have confirmed the concurrent incidence of coronary heart disease and respiratory illnesses including the flu virus. "It is thought that this relationship between cardiovascular disease and the influenza virus likely reflects the susceptibility of patients with heart disease to respiratory virus infections, rather than the flu virus causing heart disease," Damluji said. "That being said, it is plausible that the influenza virus can increase the inflammatory response and trigger heart attacks via plaque rupture."
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 41 percent of adults who were hospitalized with the flu last season (2015-16) had heart disease, which includes the following conditions:
- Coronary artery disease
- Acute coronary syndrome
- Angina (chest pain related to heart disease)
- Heart failure
- Hypertensive heart disease
- Pulmonary heart disease
- Heart valve disorders
- Arrhythmias (including atrial fibrillation)
- Congenital heart defects
The American College of Cardiology says several studies have shown that heart attack risk increases significantly within days of getting the flu and remains elevated for up to a year. Flu vaccination is considered the first and most important step in protecting yourself against the various influenza viruses, and it has been associated with lower rates of cardiac events. Flu shots are approved for use in people with heart disease. Only injectable flu shots are recommended this season; the nasal spray vaccine, which normally isn't recommended for people with heart disease because it uses a live form of the flu virus, is not recommended for use at all this season because of concerns about its effectiveness, according to the CDC.
In addition to the flu shot, people with heart disease should ask their health care provider about getting a pneumococcal vaccine to protect against diseases such as meningitis and pneumonia, which prevents the lungs from getting sufficient oxygen into the blood and can further strain the heart.
People with heart disease also are encouraged to take general actions to lower their risk of getting the flu, like avoiding people who are sick as well as large crowds before vaccination, and thorough and frequent hand washing. If you get the flu, notify your doctor immediately and take antiviral drugs if they have been prescribed. Also, it is recommended that you remain home (except to get medical care) and avoid touching your nose, mouth and eyes (sneeze into your upper sleeve or elbow, or cover your nose and mouth with facial tissue when coughing or sneezing and dispose of the tissue after use). Changes in breathing should be reported to your doctor right away, and do not stop taking your regular medications without your doctor's permission.
It is recommended that everyone six months of age and older get vaccinated by the end of October each year to help prevent the spread of seasonal influenza viruses. But it's OK to get your flu shot now. Flu activity peaks between December and February and can last as late as May. Your primary doctor can provide a flu shot. If you don't have a doctor, there are plenty more places you can go for vaccine, including clinics, chain pharmacies (Walgreens, Walmart, etc.) and health departments. ExpressCare Urgent Care Centers, a LifeBridge Health partner, also offers flu vaccinations.
Heart patients are always encouraged to come to LifeBridge Health's award-winning cardiovascular institute for advanced, compassionate, personalized care. You'd be in good hands with our specialists, who take a multidisciplinary approach-through best practices and evidence-based strategies-to preventing, treating and improving outcomes in stroke, heart disease and other related conditions.
If you want more information on flu vaccinations offered at ExpressCare, contact the Patient Care Service Center at 410-616-9381. To schedule an appointment with one of our highly trained physicians and find out why LifeBridge Health is Baltimore's premier health care organization, complete our online appoint request form or call 410-601-WELL.