Annual flu and pneumonia vaccinations may help reduce heart failure death

Respiratory infections such as influenza (flu) and pneumonia have been linked to increased risk of heart attack and stroke. Therefore, annual vaccinations against these two infections are recommended. With flu season approaching, the World Health Organization (WHO) has also called on countries to administer widespread anti-flu vaccinations this year amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Recently, during a news briefing in Geneva, WHO senior adviser Bruce Aylward and epidemiologist Maria Van Kerkhove said that getting vaccinated against flu may also offer some protection against severe COVID-19 infection and avert hospital crisis.

Researchers, including one of Indian-origin, have also highlighted the importance of vaccination to prevent respiratory infections amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly for people with diseases like heart failure. Influenza and pneumonia vaccinations may reduce hospital deaths in patients with heart failure, they said.

Heart failure occurs when the heart muscle becomes so weak that it is unable to pump on its own. A heart failure patient may require medications or mechanical support to pump blood, or sometimes heart transplant.

Annual immunizations can protect patients with heart failure

One out of five individuals will suffer heart failure in their lifetime, noted a study presented at ESC Congress 2020 – The Digital Experience. An estimated 26 million people are suffering from heart failure worldwide, it added.

It is also known that respiratory infections exacerbate heart failure and that inoculations protect against these infections. In a new study, Karthik Gonuguntla of the University of Connecticut in the US and his team compared in-hospital death rates between heart failure patients who received flu and pneumonia vaccinations and those who did not.

The study included 2,912,137 patients with heart failure who had a hospital admission from 2010 to 2014 and the average age was 70 years.

They found that rates of in-hospital mortality were significantly lower in patients who inoculated against flu and pneumonia compared to those who did not receive the vaccines.

Based on their findings, the researchers concluded that annual immunizations are vital to preventing these respiratory infections and protecting patients with heart failure.

Respiratory infections can increase the risk of heart attack and stroke

Previous research had shown that several different organisms that cause respiratory infections, including S. pneumoniae bacteria and influenza virus, can also increase heart attack and stroke risk.

A study published in the European Respiratory Journal revealed that people who have had flu or pneumonia have a six times higher risk of having a heart attack or stroke in the days after infection.

Respiratory infections like flu and pneumonia and can cause inflammation, which can lead to the development of blood clots and increase the risk of heart attack and stroke.

The influenza virus and S.pneumoniae, the bacteria that cause pneumonia, can also have harmful effects on the heart muscle. Sometimes it can even result in myocarditis (inflammation of the heart muscle), which can further lead to severe heart failure.

Thus, getting vaccinated against these two infections is important to prevent heart attack and stroke, besides preventing infection in the first place. It is more important for patients who are at risk of heart attacks and strokes, such as people with chronic diseases and those aged over 65.

Annual flu and pneumonia vaccinations may help reduce heart failure death

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Annual flu and pneumonia vaccinations may help reduce heart failure death

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