I want you to imagine the following scenario…
Two days ago, the flu hit you hard. You’ve stayed in bed with fever, chills, body aches, and congestion.
Then your left arm hurts and your jaw starts to ache. The soreness in your chest worsens. You sit up, but feel dizzy.
If you dismiss these as just more flu symptoms, that mistake could kill you. Instead of just the flu, you’re now facing a heart attack.
We’ve suspected for years that the flu increases your risk of heart attack. But most studies only saw an inconsistent association. They also lacked laboratory tests to determine if patients actually had the flu instead of a different viral infection.
That’s why a brand-new study published last week caught our attention. The paper, which appeared in the leading journal The New England Journal of Medicine, looked at documented cases of the flu with proper laboratory confirmation. Researchers then looked at these patients over the course of a year prior to their diagnosis of flu and a year after.
What they found is that for the seven-day period after a flu diagnosis, people are six times more likely to suffer a heart attack. That was regardless of any present risk factors for heart disease.
The toll the flu takes on your heart makes it dangerous for people with weak immune systems or any heart disease.
That’s extremely important, particularly for people who already have a higher risk of heart attack due to other factors. For instance, one in three adults has high blood pressure… which is one of the key risk factors for heart attack and stroke.
Keep in mind, risk factors alone like blood pressure, obesity, and smoking don’t determine if you have a heart attack. But the increased risk is still present… and makes it more dangerous should you get the flu.
As we’ve written before, the increase in inflammation you see during an infection like the flu puts a strain on your heart. It can constrict blood vessels and lead to blockages resulting in heart attacks or strokes.
This year’s influenza outbreak is especially bad. We’ve already seen the deaths of at least 30 children and many more adults. Keep in mind, adult numbers won’t appear until later because many older Americans die from flu-related complications like pneumonia.
That’s what makes it more important than ever to stay healthy this flu season.
So we’ve put together…
Don’t sit back and simply hope you don’t get sick – get active in protecting yourself today. You’ll gain protection from the flu… and possibly a heart attack.
- Did you miss it? Our original issue on flu shots.
- Something different: You heard it right: Nutella riots happened.
Here’s to our health, wealth, and a great retirement,
Dr. David Eifrig and the Health & Wealth Bulletin Research Team
January 30, 2018