In Patients With Heart Diseases, Flu Can Trigger Heart Attacks If Not Immediately Treated

Flu illustration can trigger heart attacks in people with heart disease (Freepik/Gpointstudio)

YOGYAKARTA For people with heart disease, maintaining a healthy lifestyle is the key to sustainable health. Don't underestimate seasonal diseases, such as flu. Because according to medical research, inflammation due to influenza virus infection can trigger heart attacks for people with heart disease.

Flu, also known as influenza, shows that it can lead to heart attacks in people with heart disease. According to research reported by Cleveland Clinic, Tuesday, October 25, people with heart disease have the potential to have a heart attack 10 times greater when they have a flu. How is the connection between heart disease, inflammation due to infection, and influenza?

Influenza is an infectious disease, according to Kristin Ellund, MD., an infectious disease expert. If you catch the flu, the immune system moves aggressively to fight the virus. This response causes internal inflammation, which can increase blood pressure and put extra pressure on your heart.

The accumulation of plaque from wax and fat in the arteries will be more prone to rupture in this situation. When plaque weakens and breaks, clots that clog the arteries can form and disrupt blood flow to the heart, triggering a heart attack. According to doctor Englund, anyone with heart problems is more likely to be overwhelmed in their cardiovascular system, especially when exposed to flu.

Against the flu can put a lot of pressure on the heart. If you have underlying health problems, such as heart disease, complications from the flu can become something that falls worse, said Englund.

According to CDC estimates, between 2010 and 2020, 140,000 and 770,000 people in the United States were hospitalized with the flu. Flu-related deaths ranged from 12,000-52,000 during the same period.

Given the data above, the flu cannot be underestimated. Because the flu is not just a cold, it can be life-threatening. Furthermore, complications due to flu can trigger pneumonia, bacterial pneumonia, myocarditis or heart muscle inflammation (arithmia), stroke, and encephalopathy or severe damage to the central nervous system.

It turns out that flu complications also need to be considered for their effects and anticipated. People with advanced age who experience impaired immune systems, patients with heart disease, and pregnant women need to overcome the flu appropriately. For this reason, consult the proper treatment if the flu does not recover immediately.

For how to prevent getting the flu, you can take the following steps:

In addition to the five ways to anticipate not getting flu, get enough rest.