Senior Citizens Have New Reason to Get Flu Shot: It
Greatly Reduces Risk of First Heart Attack
The earlier you get the vaccination the more heart
protection if provides
Sept.
20, 2010 If senior citizens needed a new reason to get their annual
flu shot, they just got it today. A new study found the season flu
vaccine appears to reduce the chances of a first heart attack by 19
percent. And, says the study in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association
Journal), early vaccination in the fall further increases these
benefits.
As heart attacks increase significantly in winter,
when pneumonia and flu are prevalent, it has been suggested there may be
a link between respiratory infections and heart attacks.
The study, by researchers from the United Kingdom,
looked at 78 706 patients aged 40 years or older from 379 family
practices in England and Wales. Of the total, 16 012 had had a heart
attack and 8472 of these patients had been vaccinated. The researchers
found that influenza vaccination within the past year was associated
with a significantly reduced rate of heart attack. However, pneumococcal
vaccination showed no additional benefit.
Early vaccination for influenza (between September
and mid-November) was associated with a higher (21%) reduction in the
rate of heart attacks compared with late vaccination which was
associated with a 12% reduction.
Our findings reinforce current recommendations for
annual influenza vaccination of target groups, with a potential added
benefit for prevention of acute myocardial infarction in those without
established cardiovascular disease, writes Dr. Niroshan Siriwardena,
University of Lincoln, United Kingdom with coauthors Stella Gwini and
Carol Coupland.
This benefit may lead to an increase in suboptimal
rates of vaccination, particularly among younger patients.
Because people with risk factors for heart attacks
were more likely to be vaccinated than those with no risk factors, the
researchers adjusted for possible bias in the sample.
They conclude that if additional research shows a
similar effect, it could lead to changes in the recommended indications
for and timing of vaccinations.
Sept.
20, 2010 If senior citizens needed a new reason to get their annual
flu shot, they just got it today. A new study found the season flu
vaccine appears to reduce the chances of a first heart attack by 19
percent. And, says the study in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association
Journal), early vaccination in the fall further increases these
benefits.