Can Getting the Flu Trigger a Heart Attack?
Did you know that your annual flu vaccine does more than protect you from seasonal viruses? Your shot may also prevent a heart attack.
Preventing the flu with a yearly shot is more crucial for your health than you may realize. Why? Because having the flu significantly increases the chance of a heart attack.
Adults are six times more likely to have a heart attack within one week of being diagnosed with the flu.
One in eight adults hospitalized with seasonal flu has a serious cardiac event, such as a heart attack, acute heart failure, or a sudden decrease in blood flow to the heart.
Of those experiencing a dangerous cardiac event, nearly one-third landed in the intensive care unit (ICU), and 7% died. Others were admitted for hospital care because of complications like inflammation around the heart (pericarditis).
Lifestyle variables like advanced age, smoking, and having diabetes, kidney disease, or an existing heart problem dramatically increase your risk of having a flu-triggered heart attack.
However, no one is exempt from flu-related heart conditions. Even healthy adults are at risk.
How flu causes a heart attack
Seasonal flu is a viral infection that primarily affects the nose and lungs. However, it also causes inflammation throughout the body, including the heart and coronary arteries. Inflammation leads to several problems that put you at risk of a heart attack.
Stress on your heart
Nagging inflammation increases your blood pressure and reduces the amount of oxygen in your bloodstream. These changes force your heart to work harder, straining and weakening its muscles.
The strain on your heart muscles, together with the chest congestion caused by seasonal flu, can make breathing difficult. This respiratory distress magnifies the stress on your heart, potentially leading to irregular heartbeats and a heart attack.
Blood clots
Inflammation raises the risk of blood clots, even if your arteries are healthy. If you already have clogged coronary arteries (atherosclerosis), the additional inflammation caused by the viral infection can rupture the fatty plaque.
Blood clots and pieces of ruptured plaque can get stuck in a coronary artery, reducing blood flow and causing a heart attack.
Preventing flu-related heart problems
The best way to protect yourself from a flu-induced heart attack is to prevent the flu, and that means getting a seasonal flu vaccination.
Getting the shot can lower your risk of a heart attack by 36% to 50%. And if you get sick despite being vaccinated, having the shot significantly reduces your risk of being hospitalized or going to the ICU.
Beyond the flu shot, you can take other steps to lower your risk of getting the flu and to avoid spreading the virus, including:
- Getting antiviral medications within the first two days of flu symptoms
- Avoiding close contact with people who have the flu
- Covering your mouth and nose when sneezing
- Avoiding touching your mouth and nose
- Washing your hands regularly
- Eating healthy meals and exercising
Staying as healthy as possible with good nutrition and regular exercise keeps your immune system strong and helps you fight flu-causing viruses.
Ready to learn about your risk?
The best way to protect your health is to see your primary care provider or connect with your cardiologist (if you already have a specialist). Ask them to do a cardiac risk assessment and recommend preventive cardiology care.
Whether or not you’re worried about your heart, get your flu shot early in the season. It takes about two weeks before the shot takes effect, so getting it in September or October ensures you’re protected before the flu makes the rounds.
