Heart disease & flu season: 5 answers about the flu shot

In the United States, flu season typically begins in October and can last through May, with the greatest number of flu cases occurring between December and February.

While most people who become sick with the flu will recover within a week or two, others will become severely ill and experience life-threatening complications. Among those who are at the greatest risk for severe illness and complications are people living with cardiovascular disease. Also known as heart disease, cardiovascular disease includes conditions like coronary artery disease, heart failure, any history of heart attack or stroke, and many other conditions that affect the heart and blood vessels.

If you are living with cardiovascular disease or another chronic health condition, getting the flu shot is one of the best steps you can take to protect your health during flu season.

What are the benefits of getting the flu shot?

Getting the flu shot is considered the best step a person can take to prevent influenza. Getting the flu shot means you will be less likely to get sick if you come into contact with an influenza virus. It also means that if you do become sick, you are less likely to become severely ill. Getting a flu shot also helps reduce the spread of flu to others.

For people with cardiovascular disease, getting the flu significantly increases the risk of heart attack and stroke. Vaccination has been shown to reduce this risk.

What are the risks of getting the flu shot?

Flu shots typically cause mild, short-lasting side effects—redness, soreness, or irritation at the site of injection, headache, fever, muscle ache, nausea, fatigue. This does not mean that a person is sick with the flu after receiving a flu shot, and it can actually be a sign that the immune system is responding well to the vaccine.

Serious adverse effects from a flu vaccine are rare, but it’s still important to inform your healthcare provider and/or pharmacist about:

• Any allergies you have and any history of allergic reactions.
• All medications you take, including prescription medications, over-the-counter medications, and supplements (including herbal supplements).
• Your medical history, including all medical conditions or medical problems that you have.

Which flu shot should you get?

This is a question best answered by your healthcare provider or pharmacist. There are multiple types of flu vaccines available. Some are recommended for different age groups, and some are only approved for people in certain age groups. For example, it’s recommended that people who are 65 years or older receive an enhanced (high-dose) inactivated vaccine. Several options are available.

For people with cardiovascular disease (as well as other chronic health conditions), it’s recommended to get an injectable flu vaccine. Injectable flu vaccines, or flu shots, do not contain live influenza virus. The flu vaccine that is available as a nasal spray does contain a live (though extremely weakened) influenza virus, and it is not the preferred choice for a person with a chronic health condition. (It is also not the preferred choice for people who are pregnant).

Again, your best source of information will be a healthcare provider or pharmacist.

When should you get the flu shot?

September and October are considered the best times to get the flu shot, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that everyone be vaccinated by the end of October. Getting vaccinated early (in July or August) is not considered ideal for most people in the United States. The immunity provided by a flu vaccine will decrease over time, and getting vaccinated too early may leave a person more vulnerable toward the end of flu season.

If you are traveling outside the United States, your healthcare provider may recommend getting a flu shot at a different time, getting a different type of flu shot, and/or getting additional vaccines.

Why do I need the flu shot every year?

Influenza viruses are constantly changing. And, as mentioned above, the immunity provided by the flu vaccine decreases over time. This means that the flu shot a person received in a previous year does not offer adequate protection against new strains of influenza that are spreading in the current year.