Influenza vaccination helps prevent serious cardiovascular complications, including heart attack and stroke. This was agreed by representatives of the Slovak Cardiology Society (SKS) and the Slovak Epidemiological and Vaccinological Society (SEVS) at a Thursday press conference. They warn that the flu season may come earlier this year.
- Influenza vaccination reduces the risk of serious cardiovascular complications.
- The flu season can start this year in Slovakia earlier.
- Three -invasive vaccines are recommended for risk groups of the population.
- Infections increase the risk of cardiovascular events, vaccination reduces them.
- Better vaccination availability can increase its peace among the people.
“This year’s influenza season, which is slowly ending in the southern hemisphere, was one of the most serious in the last five years. It had an unusually early onset, spread rapidly and recorded extensive community transmission. Up to 90 percent of patients hospitalized in Australia with the flu were not vaccinated, ” SEVS President Zuzana Krištúfková said. She pointed out that the flu season in Slovakia may come earlier – the peak is expected instead of February at the end of December or in January.
She explained that the most common transmit the virus mainly by children, as it spreads rapidly especially in teams. It emphasizes that the most effective means of protecting against influenza viruses, respiratory syncycial virus and Covid-19 is vaccination. “Since the Yamagata virus, whose tribe was part of the four -cvalent vaccines, has stopped circulating, there is no reason to put it in the flu vaccine and we have a three -valent vaccine again,” explained Krištúfková. She added that the vaccination should preferably be seniors, chronically ill people, pregnant women, children and health workers.
Ivana Šoóšová, chairwoman of the SKS Preventive Cardiology Section, explained that infectious viral diseases may cause cardiac muscle disorders or its packaging, stroke, worsening of cardiac failure or blood clot in the blood vessels. “The risk of heart attack is 6- to 17 times higher in the first three to seven days of infection,” Pototkla. She added that vaccination is already in the recommendations of the European Cardiology Society and is one of the procedures in the treatment of heart failure, prevention and management of coronary syndromes.
According to the President of the SKS Milan Luknar, the flu vaccine reduces the risk of influenza infection itself by 60 percent. “Vaccined persons have a 30 percent lower incidence of major cardiovascular events,” clarified. Likewise, patients who have been vaccinated against influenza, according to a cardiologist, have a lower risk of death from heart involvement and also a lower incidence of acute myocardial infarction. “Influenza is frequent and returns every year in a new dress. It can cause serious complications especially in risk persons, a safe vaccine is established,” reminded.
Krištúfková noted that in vaccination, Slovakia is still only 5.2 percent (the flu season 2024/2025, note TASR). The analyst at the Institute of Health Analyzes of the Ministry of Health (MZ) of the Slovak Republic Katarína Nováková pointed out that the data itself confirms the protective effect of vaccination. According to her, the group of unvaccinated died 1.6 times more people than in the group vaccinated. “There were up to sixteen deaths in the group of unvaccinated groups for ten deaths in the vaccine group,” zoomed.
Experts recall that better vaccine availability can help to increase vaccination – for example, vaccination in pharmacies or specialists, as well as direct addressing of risk groups by health insurance companies.
