Flu Shot and Decreased Risk of Cardiac Events

Well, hi there! Glad you could click on by today. Bet you are on your way to get a flu shot, eh? Good idea to stop for a coffee and a virtual treat in case you have to wait a while for your shot. You wouldn't want to get caffeine withdrawals, now would you? I was just watching a clip on TV about the relationship between flu shots and your cardio health. In case you didn't see it, here's the skinny...

It is the middle of flu season; in fact, the season began as early as October in some parts of the country, and the flu will continue to be a problem right up to the end of May. Nobody likes having the flu; fever, coughing, a sore throat, and aches and pains are a sure way to ruin your holiday season. However, there are still surprisingly large numbers of people who choose to forgo the protection afforded by a yearly flu shot. If you’re one of those people, listen up. New research shows that a flu shot protects against much more than an inconvenient virus; it can also save your life.

Links between the Flu Shot and Decreased Risk of Cardiac Events

Two recent studies were presented at the Canadian Cardiovascular Congress that highlighted a link between the influenza vaccine and a decreased risk of heart attack and stroke. The studies involved 3,227 patients with an average age of 60 years. The participants, half of whom had been previously diagnosed with heart disease, were randomly given either a flu shot or a placebo shot. The health of the participants was then monitored for 12 months.

The results were startling – the patients who received the flu shot were 50% less likely to suffer a major cardiac event and 40% less likely to die of cardiac causes than their fellow participant who received the placebo shot. The benefits of a flu shot are far greater than just protection against the flu.

The Flu Shot Benefits Your Cardiac Health

Although it would be incorrect to state that a yearly flu shot “vaccinates” you against heart disease, the recent studies clearly demonstrate that a flu shot decreases your chances of suffering a major cardiac event. You are likely wondering, “what is the link between these seemingly unrelated events?”

There have been a number of past studies that have shown a correlation between heart attacks and a prior respiratory infection. The flu is a respiratory illness that affects the lungs, nose, and throat and, in serious cases, can even cause pneumonia. Indeed, research shows that up to 91,000 Americans die every year from heart attacks and strokes triggered by flu-related respiratory infections. 

Theoretically, getting a flu shot could reduce this mortality rate by up to 40%.
Notably, the two new studies are not the only ones to show the correlation between a flu shot and cardiovascular health. A 2010 study showed similar results with a far larger patient population. 78,000 patients aged 40 or older were found to be 20% less likely to suffer a first cardiac event after receiving a flu shot. This decreased risk did not just occur in healthy people –even individuals at a high risk of heart disease, such as smokers and diabetics were less likely to suffer a heart attack or stroke.


I'm one of those who never gets a flu shot. This year, I may change my mind.

See ya, eh!

Bob