Cardiovascular disease is one of the major health problems worldwide. The increase in incidence and prevalence is associated with a greater presence of cardiovascular risk factors such as worsening lifestyles, increased life expectancy and longer survival of heart disease (i.e., the acute phase is survived, but a chronic phase is maintained, conditioned by the sequelae and slow progression of the disease).
The risk of suffering a cardiovascular event increases after suffering a respiratory infection. These events include:
- Ischemic heart disease: myocardial infarction, unstable angina pectoris.
- Heart failure: sometimes associated with arrhythmias, infarction, or complicated by cardiogenic shock and severe respiratory failure.
- Cerebrovascular disease: stroke, thrombosis, cerebral hemorrhage.
What is the relationship between influenza and cardiovascular disease?
In Spain, 80% of patients hospitalized for influenza have some risk factor such as cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease, obesity, diabetes, immunodeficiencies, etc. The condition most frequently related to these hospitalizations is cardiovascular disease (34%).
Influenza multiplies by 9 the probability of developing a cardiovascular complication and is a predictor of mortality. In fact, during the epidemic phase of influenza, clear excesses in overall mortality are observed, especially in adults over 65 years of age and/or with risk factors (vulnerable individuals). The risk of developing a heart attack remains high even after the period of exposure (chronic phase), and up to 6% of heart attacks are related to this infection (10% during outbreaks).
Despite the growing therapeutic arsenal for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases, traditional treatments cannot modify the risk associated with influenza. Although influenza vaccination remains the best way to reduce the added risk associated with influenza, the surprisingly low vaccination rates, even in vulnerable populations, represent a significant public health challenge as well as an opportunity to improve the prognosis of serious and potentially preventable diseases.
How can flu complications be prevented?
The risk factors and complications of influenza are virtually overlapping with those of COVID-19. In addition to efforts to increase the capacity of the healthcare system to absorb the demand for care that the coexistence of these two diseases may entail, it is possible to establish additional measures to prevent the dreaded complications and preserve, as far as possible, the health of those at risk.
These measures include:
- Keeping complication risk factors as stable as possible: people with hypertension, diabetes, pulmonary diseases, obesity, immunodeficiencies, cardiovascular diseases, etc. It is recommended that they monitor their numbers, comply with treatments and maintain a correct lifestyle, so that, if they are “caught by a virus”, their immune system is as prepared as possible.
- Strictly follow preventive measures to avoid contagion: hand washing, social distance, do not touch your face, cough/sneeze into your arm, use disposable tissues. The use of masks does not avoid or circumvent these measures. It is recommended to avoid crowds, group activities that can be postponed, and crowds in closed places.
- Vaccination: there is no effective vaccine against coronavirus. Although studies are underway, there is no guarantee that this will be achieved in the short term. This would be good news, but there are diseases such as AIDS which, after more than 30 years of research, have not yet found an effective vaccine. What does exist is a vaccine against influenza, with consistent results that demonstrate its ability to prevent complications. Last year, influenza vaccination prevented 26% of hospitalizations, 47% of ICU admissions and 37% of deaths. In addition, vaccination reduces the risk of cardiovascular complications by up to 56%.
It is therefore more important than ever that vaccination coverage is maximized. In addition to protecting ourselves, we will protect those around us, avoid health care collapse and prevent cardiovascular and respiratory complications that can have a fatal outcome.
Contact your health center to schedule your vaccination and consult the available points for its administration.