As flu season continue to unfold, ” cardiac world” is seeing an increase in Heart failure decompensation, and an unexpected increase in Heart attacks.

A recent study published in New England Journal of Medicine a few weeks ago draws the attention of a interesting new connection between Influenza and Heart attacks.

Even though the connection is not scientifically proven yet, the authors make a strong point of the viral inflammation extending to the heart and triggering a plaque rupture- the mechanism known to cause a heart attack.

I applaud the  social media of the  last few days for raising the awareness of flu and heart attack connection and promoting the benefits of flu vaccine

Researchers  found that having a heart attack was six times more likely in the first week after getting the flu, compared to the year before and the year after the illness is contracted. Older people , more than 65 years were more susceptible, and the majority of affected patients were not vaccinated against the flu.

This year, the flu vaccine was not as strong as anticipated. But this was not the reason I hear from my patients when they chose against vaccination.

There is this unbreakable myth that flu vaccine will cause flu. 

Flu vaccine does not cause flu. Flu vaccine do not contain  live virus .

Even though this year strain was not as strong as predicted, and may not prevent the flu, affected individuals will have a milder case of the disease if vaccinated 

The recent quoted study suggests that the vaccination may prevent heart attack since most people who developed the cardiac disease were not vaccinated 

How do we prevent Heart Disease in this Influenza season?

• Prevention  is easier than cure; get vaccinated; Flu vaccine is safe and approved by Centers of Disease Control and Prevention in cardiac patients.

• As a cardiologist, I strongly recommend all cardiac patients and everybody more than  65 years old to be vaccinated.

• It’s not too late, since the flu season may unfold until April.

• Be familiar and recognize the flu symptoms; Get the flu antiviral drugs within 48 hours of exposure. There are 3 flu antiviral drugs approved FDA, and safe in cardiac patients.

• Avoid discontinuation of cardiac medications and keep a two week supply at home during flu season. Dare yourself to achieve 100% compliance with those rigid cardiologist advises at least during flu season  

• Avoid known precipitating factors for heart failure decompensation- ( enjoy that high salt tasty pizza and chips off flu season)

• Cardiac patients should avoid crowded areas where flu exposure is high. 

• Don’t ignore general preventive measures to stop the spread of the flu, ( washing hands, covering your mouth when coughing) 

Let’s treat only the flu and not a heart attack triggered by flu