Nikhil Prasad Fact checked by:Thailand Medical News Team Jan 24, 2026 1 hour, 49 minutes ago
Medical News: Seasonal influenza is often dismissed as a short-lived respiratory illness, but growing scientific evidence shows it can quietly trigger serious and sometimes fatal heart complications. A new comprehensive review reveals that influenza significantly raises the risk of heart attacks, strokes, heart failure, and cardiovascular death, especially among older adults and people with existing heart disease. This
Medical News report highlights how these dangers have evolved before and after the COVID-19 pandemic and why public health strategies urgently need to adapt.
New research shows seasonal flu can sharply increase heart attack and stroke risk, especially after COVID.
Researchers and Institutions Involved
The review was conducted by scientists from Nuvance Health Vassar Brothers Medical Center in New York USA, Well Health Manitoba Clinic in Canada, Medway Maritime Hospital in the United Kingdom, North London NHS Foundation Trust in the United Kingdom, King George Hospital in the United Kingdom, and the University of Wolverhampton in the United Kingdom.
How Influenza Affects the Heart
Although influenza mainly targets the lungs, it causes widespread inflammation throughout the body. This inflammation can damage blood vessels, destabilize fatty plaques in arteries, and make blood more likely to clot. These changes sharply increase the risk of heart attacks and strokes, particularly within the first week after infection. Studies reviewed show that the risk of a heart attack can rise by as much as six times shortly after a confirmed flu infection.
Stroke and Heart Failure Risks
The review also found that influenza can double or even triple the risk of ischemic stroke in the weeks following infection. For people with heart failure, the flu often worsens symptoms by increasing heart strain, fluid buildup, and oxygen demand. This leads to higher hospitalization rates and greater risk of death during flu seasons.
The COVID-19 Era Changed Everything
During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, flu cases dropped dramatically due to mask use, travel restrictions, and social distancing. As a result, flu-related heart complications also temporarily declined. However, after restrictions were lifted, influenza returned with unpredictable patterns. Reduced population immunity and lingering heart damage from previous COVID-19 infections may now be amplifying the cardiovascular dangers of seasonal flu.
Why Vaccination Matters More Than Ever
One of the most important findings of the review is the protective effect of influenza vaccination. Evidence shows that flu vaccines reduce major cardiovascular events by about 34 percent, particularly in people with existing heart disease. Vaccination lowers inflammation, reduces clot formation, and prevents the infection that triggers these dangerous heart responses.
Conclusions and Public Health Implications
The findings make it clear that inf
luenza is not a harmless seasonal illness but a serious cardiovascular threat. Protecting heart health requires higher flu vaccination coverage, better awareness among patients with heart disease, and integrated prevention strategies that consider both influenza and COVID-19. Addressing these viral risks together could significantly reduce avoidable heart attacks, strokes, and deaths worldwide.
The study findings were published in the peer reviewed journal: Medical Sciences.
https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3271/14/1/57
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