Catching the flu is never fun, but for some populations the flu virus can be deadly. A recent study published in the medical journal Lancet Infectious Diseases shows that people with underlying heart disease may increase their risk of a deadly heart attack by catching the flu during flu season. What isn’t completely clear from this study is whether getting the flu vaccine reduces the risk of heart attack – although it does appear to offer some protection. This suggests that heart disease patients and people who have had a heart attack should be vaccinated. Disturbingly, only about a third of people with heart disease or history of a heart attack get the yearly flu vaccine.

Does It Increase Heart Attack Risk in Normal People?

What’s also isn’t clear is whether catching the flu increases the risk of a heart attack in normal people. One of the dangers of the flu is that the virus sets up an inflammatory reaction in the body that can not only trigger lung complications, but also increase the risk of a heart attack. People with heart disease would be particularly vulnerable to this effect, but the inflammation could conceivably trigger a heart attack in high risk people with undiagnosed heart disease. During flu season, this current study found that heart attack deaths go up by anywhere from a third to a half.

People Who Are More at Risk

Because of the dangers of the flu to high risk populations, experts have recommended that people who have medical problems such as heart disease, diabetes, lung disease, and other conditions associated with decreased immunity be vaccinated against influenza. People with underlying medical problems may have decreased ability to fight off a flu infection and are more likely to experience flu complications than are normal people. The most common complication associated with catching the flu is pneumonia which is more likely to strike the elderly and those who have underlying heart or lung disease. Children under the age of two are also more susceptible to complications from the flu virus since their immune systems aren’t as well developed as an adult’s.

The Bottom Line?

It’s particularly important for people with heart disease or who have had a heart attack to get the flu vaccine. Not only are they at higher risk of flu complications, but may also have an increased risk of heart attack due to the underlying inflammation the flu virus creates. It’s important that high risk populations go into the upcoming flu season protected.

Filed under: Fitness

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