1 in 3 cardiac patients does not believe flu vacc needed

A survey conducted by Harris Interactive on behalf of the US patient support group Mended Hearts has found that more than one in three heart disease patients (37%) does not plan to get an influenza vaccination this year. Despite a high risk of death resulting from flu among cardiac patients, barely half (53%) received the vaccine last year, according to the american Heart Association-affiliated group.

The US Department of Health and Human Services has set a target of 60% of heart disease patients aged less than 65 to receive flu vaccination, with 90% of all persons aged 65 or over. However, the AHA recommends that a nasal spray, instead of the live attenuated vaccine, should be employed in high-risk cases. Figures reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suggest that 92,000 people may die each year of influenza-related cardiac events.