What Vaccines Can Prevent Congestive Heart Failure?

What Vaccines Can Prevent Congestive Heart Failure?

Can a vaccine prevent heart failure? Yes, it can… Strange but true! Certain vaccines have been proved to reduce the incidence of heart failure. The flu vaccine is one of them.

What Is A Vaccine?

A vaccine contains weakened or dead organisms. It can be taken in the form of injections, orally, or via aerosol. An aerosol consists of liquid droplets or fine solid particles carried via a medium of gas or air. These make you immune to diseases. The flu vaccine protects you against the flu, which is caused by Influenza A (H1N1), Influenza A (H3N2) and the Influenza B virus. 

What is the Flu?

Sneezing, coughing, a runny nose, fever and body pains are all signs of the flu. While a common cold also manifests these symptoms, the flu exhibits much severe symptoms. While symptoms of a cold may last for few days, symptoms of the flu may last for a few weeks. The flu may also result in serious health issues such as pneumonia, which may lead to hospitalization, or even fatalities.

The flu is a viral infection which spreads from one person to another through sneezing or coughing.

• Who should be vaccinated against the fu?

Everyone who is older than 6 months should get a flu vaccine.

• How often should you take it?

The flu vaccine should be taken once every year.

• When should you take it?

Take it at the beginning of October. If it’s not available, take it as soon as possible. Flu season may last up to the end of May.

Who Is At Risk?

• Children under 5, especially kids below 2
• Adults above 65
• Pregnant women and new mothers for the first 2 weeks after giving birth to your baby
• Asthma, lung diseases, heart diseases, diabetes, obesity, cancer and AIDS increase your risk

• Will the vaccine act immediately?

It takes around 2 weeks for the flu vaccine to start acting.

• What’s the latest research saying? 

Several researches say that the flu increases your chances of heart diseases. Deaths due to heart diseases are higher in seasons where flu is rampant. The flu makes it difficult to control many of diseases including Diabetes. Those who were vaccinated were 25% less likely to die than those who were not!

• Which other vaccines help you out?

The pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine also prevents heart diseases in addition to preventing pneumonia. 

What is Pneumonia?

In addition to symptoms of the flu, pneumonia is accompanied by chills and breathing difficulties. You will be short of breath when you climb stairs and when you take a deep breath or cough, you feel a sharp stabbing pain in your chest. Pneumonia is at times caused by complications of the flu. Symptoms vary based on severity.

There are 2 types of vaccines for Pneumonia: The pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13 or Prevnar 13) and the pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPSV23 or Pneumovax)

Who Should Be Vaccinated Against Pneumonia?

• Those with a weak immune system
• Those who have been in a recent accident
• Those who have had surgery recently
• Those who had a viral infection recently
• Smokers
• People with heart diseases and Diabetes

Aside from those listed above, most people should take the precaution of getting vaccinated against pneumonia. 

• How often should you take it?

Pneumonia vaccine is taken at one shot. However, a few doctors prefer to give another shot after 5 to 10 years.

• When should you take it?

You can take it at any time of the year.

Talk to your doctor about vaccination and take another step towards preventing heart failure!