Can Flu Cause Heart Failure? Know Symptoms, Vaccination And Risk Management By Expert

It is being observed that numerous people around us are falling for seasonal flu and different sorts of infection. As the season is changing, the tendency to fall for flu becomes very common. However you may not know that simple condition such as flu may increase the risk of heart diseases. People suffering from flu in this season can develop the tendency and risk of developing health complications that arise along with stroke. It can be quite threatening for your health condition, hence it is better to know about the relation between these two conditions.

How Does Flu Affect Your Heart?

We consulted Dr. Brajesh Kunwar, Director of Interventional Cardiology, Fortis Hiranandani Hospital, Vashi, for relation between flu and heart health. He told us that this happens in almost every monsoon season that people tend to get flu very easily. The onset of winters brings some complications along with it that majorly consists of cardiovascular problems. People may increase their risk of heart attack or stroke if they get frequent flu. The risk can be reduced by having flu vaccine and they may get protected from cardiac issues. 

According to a study by Centre of Disease Control, Flu is associated with higher risks of heart attack and this can increase upto 6 times more than a person not having frequent flu. Many health conditions such as heart attacks, heart failure and arrhythmias are more common problems associated with this condition. Other conditions include-

• Increase in heart rate
• Blood pressure
• Release of stress hormones in the body
• Rapid heartbeat problems
• Immense strain on organs

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Symptoms of Flu Associated With Heart Attack

Symptoms of flu that are associated with heart attack is that of infection which happens in the upper or lower airways. A patient that goes through flu congestion may have these problems or symptoms-

• Fever
• Cough
• Causing immense stress
• Discomfort in heart area
• Swelling tenderness
• Elevated blood pressure
• Scarring within your heart

Most of these symptoms that are present in the flu are ignored by the people. It is often neglected because it does not create a direct impact on your health. It can be very stressful and you may notice heart attack symptoms coming through. It can even lead a person to organ failure and can be hampering your health.

How Flu Triggers Heart Attack?

The main cause of having heart attack because of flu is because of the pressure exerted on the heart when the person is suffering from flu. The reason is that people have increased heart rate and then it leads to increased levels of blood pressure which affects your stress hormones to get released in the body. This process is called catecholamine in which the strain on heart increases to a level that it leads the person to heart failure. 

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Can Vaccination Help Reduce Heart Attack?

Flu vaccinations have been effective in reducing the cases of heart failure and heart attack at a significant amount. Those people who have taken their flu vaccination lower their risk of cardiac problems and in fact it increases their heart health. In the cases that have been attended by him, he has seen a significant decrease in heart issues and risk of failures who took flu vaccination in the right time interval. It increases your immunity and helps to ensure protection against heart failure. The vaccination that is recommended to reduce risk of heart is influenza and pneumoccoal vaccination.

How to Tackle Heart Attack Caused By Flu?

The person need to be in touch with cardiologist and physician at regular intervals in order to prevent himself from risk of heart attack caused by flu. Both doctors are important in this case to examine the condition of the patient and give them right treatment as well as guidelines for prevention of attack. In general conditions check list for prevention of heart attack includes the following things-

1. Vaccination of flu by taking influenza and penumoccal vaccines
2. Improving the quantity of iron in the body
3. Controlling symptoms related to heart failure
4. Treating conditions that are related to flu
5. Treating symptoms of flu
6. Taking dietary measures to prevent high blood pressure

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