title: Influenza and atherosclerosis: vaccination for cardiovascular disease prevention.
abstract: In both animal and human studies, strong prothrombotic and pro-inflammatory effects have been observed after influenza infection. Influenza is an important trigger for acute coronary syndromes, and it has been shown that in the US it may cause up to 90,000 deaths per year simply by triggering fatal myocardial infarctions. Multiple case-control and cohort studies have shown that the influenza vaccine has a marked protective effect against cardiovascular events, decreasing the incidence of these events by 20 - 70% in the settings of primary and secondary prevention. Although influenza vaccination is an extremely cost-effective method of cardiovascular protection and is recommended for all patients with cardiac diseases, it is largely underused in these patients. Therefore, increased efforts should be directed towards educating physicians and patients about the benefits of influenza vaccination in patients with coronary heart disease.
authors.affiliation: Texas Heart Institute, 6770 Bertner, MC 2-255, Houston, TX 77030, USA. Mohammad.Madjid@uth.tmc.edu.
authors.forename: Mohammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Madjid
authors.forename: Imran
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Awan
authors.forename: Muzammil
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ali
authors.forename: Lorraine
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Frazier
authors.forename: Ward
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Casscells
mesh_terms: D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000821:virology; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D007252:Influenza Vaccines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000150:complications / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000821:virology; D014611:Vaccination / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D007252:Influenza Vaccines