The flu vaccine protects people with heart failure from death

The flu vaccine may save the lives
of people with cardiovascular disease by reducing heart complications and preventing the flu.

An international study led by researchers at McMaster University has found that the flu vaccine significantly reduces pneumonia and cardiovascular complications
in people with heart failure.

"If you have heart failure, you should get a flu shot because it saves your life — that's what we found in this study," said
Mark Loeb, the study's lead investigator.

Loeb is Professor of Pathology and Molecular Medicine at McMaster and an infectious disease physician and microbiologist
at Hamilton.

"People don't fully realize that the flu vaccine can save people from dying
from cardiovascular disease," he added.

The study showed that over a full year, the flu vaccine reduced pneumonia by 40 percent and heart failure hospitalizations
by 15 percent.
During the fall and winter flu season, the flu vaccine reduced mortality rates in these patients by 20 percent
.

Data collected during flu season also shows that the vaccine helps prevent cardiovascular complications such as heart disease and stroke
.

The collaborative clinical trial, conducted by McMaster, the McMaster Institute for Population Health and Hamilton Health Sciences, allowed researchers to follow more than 5,000 people with heart failure in 10 countries in Africa, Asia and the Middle East, where few people receive regular flu shots
.
Between June 2015 and November 2021, they received either a flu vaccine or a placebo
each year.

While flu has long been associated with an increased risk of life-threatening cardiovascular events, Loeb said heart failure patients are already vulnerable to poor health outcomes
.
Patients with this disease have a 50% chance of dying within 5 years, while 20% of patients are hospitalized
each year due to cardiovascular complications.

"Importantly, we looked at low- and middle-income countries where 80% of cardiovascular disease occurs, which have low
influenza vaccination rates.
"

Salim Yusuf, executive director of PHRI, one of the study's authors, said: "Given that the influenza vaccine is simple, cheap and safe, it should be part of
standard practice in treating patients with heart failure.
Avoiding one in six deaths from heart disease and preventing hospitalization makes it very cost-effective and can have important public health and clinical implications
.
”

The study is the first clinical trial
to examine the effectiveness of the flu vaccine in patients with heart failure.