Influenza vaccines may help protect eligible patients you see every day1
Recommend influenza vaccines as part of their healthcare plan this flu season
Kurt, 72 years, retired
stock broker
Underlying medical conditions: Hypertension
Details: Kurt was diagnosed with hypertension 12 years ago and currently takes medication to manage it. Incidences of acute myocardial infarction have been observed in patients like Kurt after influenza infection.2
Risk of developing flu complications: High
Courtney, 50 years,
English teacher
Underlying medical conditions: Asthma
Details: Courtney is at high risk of developing a serious flu complication even though she takes asthma medication. Flu infections can cause further inflammation of the airways and lungs, which can lead to pneumonia.3
Risk of developing flu complications: High
Mohammed, 66 years,
news editor
Underlying medical conditions: Diabetes
Details: Even though Mohammed is managing his diabetes, he is more likely to be hospitalized after an influenza infection.4,5 Influenza can make Mohammed's condition worse because diabetes can make the immune system less able to fight infections. Influenza can even make it harder to control blood sugar levels.5
Risk of developing flu complications: High
Cam, 75 years, football coach
Underlying medical conditions: None
Details: Cam is healthy and his doctor
isn’t worried about anything besides
normal changes due to aging, like immunosenescence. People 65 years and older, like Cam, have a higher risk of developing serious influenza complications due to changes in immune defense.6
Risk of developing flu complications: High
Zhu, 41 years, police detective
Underlying medical conditions: None
Details: Zhu works in close contact with the public. Even though the risk of Zhu developing complications due to influenza is low, any healthy individual could experience severe complications of influenza.1,7
Risk of developing flu complications: Low
References:
- Grohskopf LA, Alyanak E, Ferdinands JM, et al. Prevention and control of seasonal influenza with vaccines: recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, United States, 2021–22 influenza season. MMWR. 2021;70(5):1-28. doi:10.15585/mmwr.rr7005a1
- Kwong JC, Schwartz KL, Campitelli MA, et al. Acute myocardial infarction after laboratory-confirmed influenza infection. N Engl J Med. 2018;378(4):345-353.
- Flu & people with asthma. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Accessed November 11, 2021. https://www.cdc.gov/flu/highrisk/asthma.htm
- Allard R, Leclerc P, Tremblay C, Tannenbaum T-N. Diabetes and the severity of pandemic influenza A (H1N1) infection. Diabetes Care. 2010;33(7):1491-1493.
- Flu & people with diabetes. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. August 26, 2021. Accessed January 19, 2022. https://www.cdc.gov/flu/highrisk/diabetes.htm
- Flu & people 65 years and older. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. August 26, 2021. Accessed November 11, 2021. https://www.cdc.gov/flu/highrisk/65over.htm
- Warren-Gash C, Blackburn R, Whitaker H, McMenamin J, Hayward AC. Laboratory-confirmed respiratory infections as triggers for acute myocardial infarction and stroke: a self-controlled case series analysis of national linked datasets from Scotland. Eur Respir J. 2018;51. doi:10.1183/13993003.01794-2017