Flu and Heart Disease & Stroke

People with Heart Disease* and Those Who Have Had a Stroke Are at Increased Risk of Complications from Influenza (the Flu)

People with heart disease and those who have had a stroke are at high risk for developing serious complications from the flu. Among adults hospitalized with the flu during the 2010-2011 influenza season, heart disease was the most commonly-occurring chronic condition; 37% of adults hospitalized with the flu during the 2010-2011 flu season had heart disease. Studies have shown that influenza is associated with an increase of heart attacks and stroke.

*Heart disease includes but is not limited to coronary artery disease [heart attack or myocardial infarction, acute coronary syndrome and angina (chest pain related to heart disease)]. It also includes the following common conditions:

Heart failure
Hypertensive heart disease
Pulmonary heart disease
Heart valve disorders
Arrhythmias including atrial fibrillation
Congenital heart defects

Top

If you have heart disease or have had a stroke, you need to take steps to fight the flu.

Get a flu shot.
- Vaccination is the first and most important step in protecting against the flu. Even if you don’t have a regular doctor or nurse, you can get a flu shot.
- Flu vaccines are offered in many locations including doctors’ offices, clinics, health departments, pharmacies, college health centers and increasingly by a number of employers and public schools.
- People with heart disease or who have had a stroke should get a flu shot (the vaccine given with a needle, usually in the arm) and not use the nasal spray vaccine (“FluMist®”).
Take everyday preventive actions to stop the spread of flu:
- Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when coughing or sneezing and throw the tissue away after using it;
- Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after coughing or sneezing;
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth (germs are spread that way); and
- Stay home when you are sick, except to get medical care. If you are sick with flu-like symptoms you should stay home for 24 hours after your fever is gone (without the use of fever-reducing medicine).
If you do get sick with flu symptoms, call your doctor and take flu antiviral drugs if your doctor prescribes them.
- Treatment should begin as soon as possible because antiviral drugs work best when started early (within 48 hours after symptoms start).
- Antiviral drugs can make your illness milder and make you feel better faster. They may also prevent serious health problems that can result from the flu.
- Oseltamivir (Tamiflu®) is an antiviral drug that can be used to treat the flu. To get Tamiflu®, a doctor must write you a prescription. This medicine fights against the flu by keeping flu viruses from making more viruses in your body.

Top

Take Other Important Steps to Stay Healthy

Get a pneumococcal vaccine.
- Children, adults 65 years of age and older, and people who have heart disease should also get the pneumococcal vaccine to protect against pneumonia.
- Pneumonia is an example of a serious flu-related complication that can cause death. Pneumococcal vaccines may be given at the same time as flu vaccines.
Maintain a two week supply of your regular medications during flu season.
Do not stop taking your regular medications without first consulting your doctor, especially in the event that you get the flu or another respiratory infection.
People with heart failure should be alert to changes in their breathing and should promptly report changes to their doctor.