Flu Vaccine and Heart Attack

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Pneumonia vaccine slashes risk of heart attack: Researchers

Pauline Tam , Canwest News Service
Published: Monday, October 06, 2008

OTTAWA - A vaccine that helps protect against pneumonia can also cut the risk of heart attacks, opening the door to a safe and inexpensive way to prevent thousands of cardiac deaths each year, new research shows.
The vaccine, typically used to protect the elderly against the most common cause of bacterial pneumonia, can lower the rate of heart attacks by as much as 50 per cent, says the study, published in the latest issue of the Canadian Medical Association Journal.

"The magnitude of the effect was really surprising for us," said Dr. Danielle Pilon, the study's lead author and an associate professor of medicine at the Universite de Sherbrooke in Quebec. "We didn't expect the vaccine to lower the risk of heart attacks by such a high rate."

In Ontario, the pneumonia vaccine is recommended for people with weak immune systems, cirrhosis of the liver and high-risk conditions such as chronic heart, kidney or lung disease. It is also commonly given to the elderly.

An accompanying editorial urges physicians to use the vaccine more widely as a preventive measure for patients at high risk of developing heart disease.
Previous studies have shown that flu can trigger heart disease, leading to a spike in heart attacks during flu season. The most common and serious complication of the flu is pneumonia, an infection that sneaks into the lungs after influenza weakens the immune system.

The latest evidence suggests the vaccine not only prevents pneumonia, it also has anti-inflammatory properties that stop the buildup of plaque in blood vessels, leading to atherosclerosis, a disease that makes people susceptible to heart attacks.

"Our research adds to the theory that infection may be related to heart attacks," said Pilon. Her research team studied the medical records of 5,000 Quebec hospital patients, all of whom had at least one risk factor for heart disease: high cholesterol, high blood-pressure or diabetes.

The researchers found that compared to patients who didn't have heart attacks, those who did were much less likely to have received a pneumonia vaccine at least two years before they were hospitalized.
The pattern was similar for men older than 45 and women older than 50.

In Ontario, the pneumonia vaccine is recommended for people with weak immune systems, cirrhosis of the liver and high-risk conditions such as chronic heart, kidney or lung disease. It is also commonly given to the elderly.

Unlike the flu vaccine, which needs to be given every year, the average person only needs to be vaccinated against pneumonia once.

© Ottawa Citizen 2008

Tamiflu

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Tamiflu

The flu season is winding down but surely is not gone. We had worked hard to in years prior to prepare you all for the Bird Flu that did not happen. Hopefully you have not discarded the Tamiflu since this was the first time I have had to try it as primary therapy for Influenza. It was fantastic.

Most people did not recall they had it and therefore did not use it. And many used it when it was late. The timing to use it is to be as early as you can because it is clearly best when use at the first sign of trouble.

Because we were heavy users in the past, it turns out that we were given a copious amount of samples that are available to anyone who would like to replenish their stash. They are good to 2012.

We would be delighted to pass Tamiflu on to all that would like it. Contact EMMC.

Influenza 2/16/08

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Text Summary
Word from the Government is that we are in the full swing of this season’s influenza epidemic. The Flu vaccine for this year was wide of the mark leaving those who did receive the vaccine to have only 40% protection, not the 60 to 70 % we have come to expect.

All is not lost, however. Do you recall my recommendation that you retain a 5 day supply of Tamiflu in the refrigerator to enable you to treat the bird flu (Avian Flu) early and hopefully successfully? This is working splendidly on this year’s flu.

Go to the refrigerator, find the Tamiflu and start it at the first sign of this year’s flu. Use it up because we will not be likely to have bird flu back sooner than another 50 to 75 years.

Alternative to flu shots

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Flu Shots are in

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