Protects flu vaccine from heart attack?

Protects flu vaccine from heart attack?
Flu vaccines reduce the risk of heart attack. British researchers are coming to this conclusion on the basis of a first study examining the relationship between vaccination and the risk of heart attack. Thus, the 79,000 subjects and 16,000 heart attack patients have found that a flu shot can reduce the risk of infarction by 19 percent, but the time of vaccination is crucial.

Despite advantages only low vaccination rates in the population
The flu season has begun. But the Germans are very hesitant to administer a flu vaccine despite extensive requests from the health authorities. While the hysteria and the corresponding demand for vaccinations were still high in the case of swine flu last year, relatively few Germans follow the recommendations of the experts this year. Although the health authorities have extended their vaccination recommendation for the first time beyond the existing risk patients to pregnant women for the first time, many Germans still reject a flu vaccine. Simply as the experts of the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) think, because the benefits of a comprehensive vaccine protection in the population would be obvious: for example, fewer sick days, lower treatment costs and a significantly reduced risk of transmission of pathogens in the population. According to estimates by the Working Group on Influenza at the Robert Koch Institute, around 2.9 million additional doctor visits and 5,300 influenza-related hospital admissions were necessary during the previous flu season. Around 1.5 million influenza patients had to be written incapacitated for work.

Lower heart attack risk due to flu vaccine
The suggestion of British researchers that flu vaccines can also reduce the risk of heart attack opens up a new perspective in the discussion. In a case-control study, the researchers examined 79,000 subjects, including 16,000 heart attack patients. The result: subjects who received a flu shot were 19 percent less likely to have heart attack than the control group. The risk of heart attack was reduced the most when the vaccine was given at the beginning of the flu season between September and November. From a purely mathematical point of view, such vaccinations even resulted in a 21 percent reduction in the risk of myocardial infarction. Later vaccinations still reduced the risk by as much as twelve percent. Although the results to date point to a connection, their theses must still be scientifically verified in the context of further investigations, the researchers explained at the presentation of the study.

Worry of side effects
Whether the presumed reduction of the risk of heart attack, the vaccination readiness of the Germans, may be doubted. Because the uncertainty in the population due to the swine flu vaccinations 2009 has not subsided yet. Not only the suspected side effects of the added potentiators but also the obvious interest of the manufacturers in selling their products is still relatively present. An in-depth investigation of the side effects of the potentiator has now shown that while complaints such as mild fever, headache or the sensation of a sore muscle have occurred more frequently, serious side effects such as temporary paralysis have not occurred more frequently than with conventional vaccines, it can hardly calm the unsettled , Rather, such statements rather strengthen the concern about the general side effects of flu vaccines.

Swine flu will occur again
WHO's warnings about a recurrence of the swine flu and the indication that the current vaccine protects against the normal influenza virus as well as the swine flu virus H1N1 has not yet contributed to a significant increase in the vaccination rate in Germany. The targets set by the health authorities for vaccination rates of between 50 and 60 percent, as is the norm in Scandinavian countries, are hardly achievable in the medium term in Germany. Even if Reinhard Burger, president of the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), regularly warns against underestimating influenza, criticizes the far too low vaccination quotas in the population and carries out comprehensive information campaigns in cooperation with the various health authorities, vaccination fatigue is among the Germans still prevalent.

Health risk should not be underestimated
The health risk of a flu illness is not insignificant. This is also emphasized by Peter Wutzler, President of the German Association for the Control of Viral Diseases: „the influenza is not harmless. We have had between 3,000 and 5,000 deaths each year for 20 years. "According to him, vaccination of children, the chronically ill, people over the age of 60 and pregnant women is imperative, and medical staff should receive more frequent vaccinations in the interest of patients Although the association "Doctors for an Individual Vaccination Decision", are not in principle against preventive vaccinations, but doubt the undifferentiated discussion in the public in their view, from the sometimes serious, unwanted side effects, in individual cases, with a lasting impairment Because, like any medicine, flu vaccines can have such consequences, even if this is relatively rare, patients must, in the opinion of the association, be fully informed about the possible side effects and should make a vaccination decision depends on make sure that the medical benefit outweighs the potential risk. Ideally, this decision is made together with the doctor of trust. (13.10.2010, fp)

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