Warning: The risk of heart attack increases 6 times in the first week of flu infection

Flu - Photo 1.

Seasonal flu is a viral infection, mainly caused by influenza A or B viruses - Image generated by AI

Seasonal influenza is a viral infection, mainly caused by influenza A or B viruses, transmitted through droplets when coughing, sneezing or contact with contaminated surfaces.

Symptoms include fever, cough, sore throat, stuffy nose, muscle aches, fatigue and in severe cases difficulty breathing or respiratory failure.

How does seasonal flu affect cardiovascular disease?

Over the past two decades, the link between influenza infection and cardiovascular disease has received increasing attention.

Several studies have found that seasonal flu increases the risk of cardiovascular complications, especially in patients with pre-existing cardiovascular disease.

A 2018 Canadian study published in The New England Journal of Medicine (one of the world's leading medical journals) found a six-fold increase in the risk of heart attack in the first week after flu infection. In 2023, researchers from the Netherlands published a study with similar results.

Another CDC study published in 2020 in the Annals of Internal Medicine reported that serious acute cardiovascular events were common in adults hospitalized with influenza.

The study analyzed more than 80,000 adults hospitalized with influenza over eight flu seasons and found that nearly 12% of patients, or 1 in 8, experienced an acute cardiac event, such as acute heart failure or acute ischemic heart disease. Of those, 30% required admission to the intensive care unit (ICU) and 7% died while in the hospital.

The risk of myocardial infarction is often increased in the early stages after a severe acute respiratory infection. This may be because the infection disrupts blood clotting and stimulates the release of inflammatory molecules. This can destabilize atherosclerotic plaques in the arteries, causing them to rupture and block the coronary arteries.

In addition, high fever, lack of oxygen, and increased heart rate also put a burden on the heart, pushing the patient into acute decompensated heart failure on a background of chronic heart failure.

How to prevent cardiovascular risks during flu season

Warning: The risk of myocardial infarction increases 6 times in the first week of flu infection - Photo 3.

The risk of heart attack increases sixfold in the first week after flu infection - Illustration: AI

Get a flu shot: The CDC recommends that everyone over 6 months of age get a flu shot every year, especially people with heart disease.

A meta-analysis published in November 2023, which compiled data from more than 9,000 patients, found a 26% reduction in the risk of myocardial infarction in those who had received the flu vaccine and a 33% reduction in cardiovascular death.

Cardiovascular patients should be vaccinated with inactivated influenza vaccine (IIV - Inactivated Influenza Vaccine) or recombinant influenza vaccine (RIV - Recombinant Influenza Vaccine) because these vaccines are safe, do not contain live viruses, and help reduce the risk of influenza as well as cardiovascular complications caused by influenza.

Maintain personal hygiene: Wash hands regularly, wear mask when necessary.

Healthy lifestyle: Eat a balanced diet of beneficial foods, drink enough water, sleep 8 hours a day, and exercise lightly to strengthen the immune system.

Avoid contact with people with the flu: Avoid crowded places during flu outbreaks.

Caring for heart patients with flu

Monitor symptoms: If you have flu symptoms, rest, drink plenty of fluids, and take fever reducers as directed by your doctor.

Use medication as prescribed: Cardiovascular patients should consult a doctor before taking antiviral drugs to treat influenza A (Oseltamivir), or NSAIDs/corticoid pain relievers (can cause blood pressure instability or blood clotting disorders for patients taking anticoagulants, avoid self-administering injections that can affect the cardiovascular system).

Recognize danger signs: Go to the hospital immediately if you experience: difficulty breathing, chest pain; feeling of irregular heartbeat, palpitations; low blood pressure, dizziness, near fainting or fainting; flu symptoms lasting more than 7 days or getting worse.

MSc. Dr. Nguyen Le Phuong Thao is a treating physician at the clinic department, Tam Duc Heart Hospital, with more than 10 years of experience in the field of cardiology. In addition to specializing in the diagnosis and treatment of internal cardiovascular diseases such as heart valve disease, coronary artery disease, arrhythmia, hypertension, and dyslipidemia, Dr. Thao is also proficient in modern echocardiographic techniques such as transthoracic echocardiography, transesophageal echocardiography, 3D echocardiography, etc.