New Delhi, Aug 27
Adults with cardiovascular disease must be immunised against conditions such as Covid-19, influenza, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), pneumonia, herpes zoster (shingles), and other diseases, according to new recommendations released by the American College of Cardiology (ACC).
The guidance also provides detailed evidence for each vaccine recommendation and answers to frequently asked questions to guide conversations between clinicians and patients.
“Vaccination against communicable respiratory diseases and other serious diseases is critical for people with heart disease, but barriers exist to ensuring people are educated on which vaccines to get, how often to get them, and why they are important,” said Paul Heidenreich, chair of the CCG writing committee.
“With this document, we want to encourage clinicians to have these conversations and help their patients manage vaccination as part of a standard prevention and treatment plan,” Heidenreich added.
People with heart disease have a higher risk of infection when exposed to a respiratory virus and a higher risk of adverse outcomes, including hospitalisation and death.