There are an estimated 60 million people in the EU living with cardiovascular disease (CVD). If infected with influenza, they face a six-fold increase in the risk of having a heart attack and an eight-fold increase in the risk of stroke.
As one in five people in Europe are infected with flu each year, this makes winter a risky time for people with heart issues.
The solution is annual flu vaccination.
Birgit Beger, CEO of the European Heart Network (EHN), highlighted the value of vaccinating against flu and COVID-19. ‘Vaccination against respiratory viruses can greatly reduce the risk of hospitalisations and complications associated with CVDs,’ she said. ‘EHN supports the call to harmonise recommendations for flu vaccination uptake.’
Flu vaccination protects against heart attack and stroke. In fact, it reduces the risk of CVD-related deaths by 33% and decreases the risk of heart attack by 30%. Vaccination against flu also cuts the risk of stroke by 26%.
