Even
though vaccinations are known for preventing serious and deadly diseases, there
are still groups of people who do not fully know the importance of vaccinations
and therefore, avoid or forget getting vaccinated at the right time. Since
August is National Immunization Awareness Month, it is essential that all of us
educate ourselves about vaccinations as much as we can so that outbreaks do not
occur and people of all ages remain safe.
In
this blog, our focus will be on flu shots and why flu shots are necessary for
people with heart disease. Risk of serious flu complications goes up for people
with cardiovascular problems if they do not get a flu shot. How? Let’s find
out.
Dangers
for people with heart problems
As
we all know, the flu, also known as influenza, is a viral infection of the
nose, throat, and lungs that spreads easily from one person to another. The
reason why a lot of stress is placed on getting people with heart disease
vaccinated for the flu is, its complications especially prove dangerous for
them. What are those complications? If you have heart disease and you do not
get vaccinated, you may become susceptible to serious medical problems such as
pneumonia, lung failure, bronchitis, heart attack, and even death. That is why
healthcare professionals recommend everyone, especially older adults and other
risk groups, to get an annual flu vaccine.
When
to get vaccinated
As
per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, anyone above the age of 6
months can get vaccinated for the flu every year. People who are 65 and older,
they can go for a high dose flu vaccine. According to healthcare professionals,
September and October are the best months for getting vaccinated. However, if
you do not get vaccinated in those months for some reason, you can still get
the shot until January or sometimes later.
Heart
patients should take special care of their health as they are more prone to
other health complications. It is advised you regularly meet a healthcare
professional so that he/she can examine your heart health. Many heart problems
are noticeable when you engage in certain activities such as sleeping,
exercising, eating, etc. To monitor the electrical activity of your heart
during these activities, the medical professional may use Ambulatory ECG.
