Friday, November 1, 2013

In the News--flu shot may decrease risk of stroke and heart attack



A study published in the JAMA (Journal of Medical Association) reported that people who have the flu shot are less likely to have a cardiovascular event.  Let me give an example.  Last year when we were on our Alaska trip, I came down with a respiratory virus.  Before I returned home, the symptoms of stuffy, runny nose, sore throat and sneezing had turned into bronchitis and I could not stop coughing.  I am certain all that coughing was a strain on my body.  I remember my ribs and chest muscles were sore from the coughing. What if I had been a person with a bad heart condition or high blood pressure?  I might have had a stroke or a heart attack.  That’s what this study found.  People with pre-existing heart disease, high blood pressure, etc face an increased risk of a cardiovascular event when they catch the flu with its symptoms of sneezing and coughing, etc.  This article can be found at http://www.foxnews.com/health/2013/10/22/flu-shot-may-decrease-risk-heart-attack-and-stroke/

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