The rate of seasonal flu vaccinations among high-risk groups such as people over age 50 and nursing home residents is extremely low, and those who do get their flu vaccination significantly lower their cardiovascular risks for heart attack, TIA (transient ischemic attack), death and cardiac arrest, according to preliminary research to be presented July 27-30, 2020, at the virtual American Heart Association’s Basic Cardiovascular Sciences 2020 Scientific Sessions.
The rate of seasonal flu vaccinations among high-risk groups such as people over age 50 and nursing home residents is extremely low, and those who do get their flu vaccination significantly lower their cardiovascular risks for heart attack, TIA (transient ischemic attack), death and cardiac arrest, according to preliminary research to be presented July 27-30, 2020, at the virtual American Heart Association’s Basic Cardiovascular Sciences 2020 Scientific Sessions. The meeting is a premier global exchange of the latest advances in basic cardiovascular science including research in fields like microRNAs, cardiac gene and cell therapy, and cardiac development.
The stress the influenza infection puts on the body may increase the risk of having a heart attack or stroke, which researchers note is well-known.
“These groups should have the highest vaccination rates because they are the most at risk; however, our findings show the opposite – flu vaccinations are under-utilized,” said Roshni A. Mandania, B.S., lead author of the study and M.D. Candidate Class of 2021 at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center Paul L. Foster School of Medicine in El Paso, Texas. “As health care providers, we must do everything we can to ensure our most vulnerable populations are protected against the flu and its serious complications.”
Read more at American Heart Association
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