“Influenza may be even worse than we thought. And flu shots might be even better than we thought,” said researcher Dr. Kristin Nichol of the Minneapolis Veterans Affairs Medical Center. New government figures show influenza contributes to an average 36,000 annual U.S. deaths. Flu shots are now recommended for all adults 50 and older. For a lot more knowledge on flue please click on the web site MSNBC.COM NEWS HEALTH or click on the next line for reading the article linked on this PVAF web site....PVAF which is a web site to spread vidyaa = KNOWLEDGE OF pRkruti OF WHICH THIS UNIVERSE IS MADE, SUSTAINED AND CYCLICALLY RECREATED..... (as per veD postings on PVAF web site by  SRii champaklaal daajibhaai Mistry of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada)

Flu shots may prevent heart disease   Study: Vaccine may provide extra benefits to elderly   Nurse Sherry Pounce DeLeon, right, gives a flu shot to Henry Swider, 78, on Sept. 26, 2002 at a clinic in Chicago. New studies show the vaccine may do more for the elderly than just protect against the flu.     ASSOCIATED PRESS April 3 —  Flu shots may do more for the elderly than fend off the flu bug — they also protect against heart disease and stroke, new research shows.         ‘Influenza may be even worse than we thought. And flu shots might be even better than we thought.’ — DR. KRISTIN NICHOL Researcher, Minneapolis Veterans Affairs Medical Center        RESULTS OF a large study of more than 286,000 elderly, appearing in Thursday’s New England of Journal, show hospital stays for heart disease or stroke during two flu seasons were substantially reduced among those who got flu shots.        “Influenza may be even worse than we thought. And flu shots might be even better than we thought,” said researcher Dr. Kristin Nichol of the Minneapolis Veterans Affairs Medical Center.        New government figures show influenza contributes to an average 36,000 annual U.S. deaths.        Flu shots are now recommended for all adults 50 and older. In 2001, about 63 percent of those over 65 were vaccinated in the United States.         How does the vaccine work? The flu vaccine is an inactivated viral vaccine. This means that the viruses predicted to be predominant during the current season are grown in chicken eggs, harvested, and then killed through chemical means. The vaccine is then purified and tested for safety. When taken by humans, the vaccine stimulates the production of antibodies that fight off the viruses included in the vaccine. How effective is it? Influenza vaccine effectiveness varies from year to year, depending on the degree of similarity between the virus strains included in the vaccine and those circulating during the flu season. The vaccine can prevent symptoms of flu infection in up to 90 percent of healthy young adults, but its effectiveness can be as low as 30 percent among very elderly, frail persons. Who should get the flu vaccine? Influenza shots are recommended for anyone who wishes to avoid the flu. It is specifically encouraged for people over the age of 65 years and all people who are at high risk for developing serious complications from the disease. These high-risk groups include children 6 months to 2 years and people with diabetes, immunosuppression, severe forms of anemia and chronic diseases of the heart, lung or kidneys, including asthma. The vaccine is also recommended for women who will be in the second or third trimester of pregnancy during flu season, health care personnel, residents of nursing homes or other chronic-care facilities, children and teenagers who are receiving long-term aspirin therapy, and people who are in close contact with someone in a high-risk group. Who should not get the flu vaccine? People who have had previous vaccine-associated allergic reactions should not get the vaccine. Also, people with egg allergies should avoid immunization because the viruses used in the vaccine are grown in hen's eggs. The vaccine may be given in the presence of minor illnesses, but adults with acute febrile illnesses should usually wait until their symptoms abate. What are the side effects? The flu vaccine causes no side effects in most people. Less than one-third of those who receive the vaccine have some soreness at the injection site, and about 5 to 10 percent experience mild side effects, such as headache or low-grade fever for about a day after vaccination. Rarely, an allergic reaction may occur among people who have severe allergies to eggs. Since the vaccine is not a live vaccine, it is not possible to get influenza from it. How often should you get it? The vaccine should be taken every year because flu viruses are constantly mutating and each year the vaccine is updated to include the most current flu strains. The vaccine should also be taken annually because antibodies produced by a person in response to the vaccine decline over time. When is the best time to get vaccinated? The best time to get vaccinated is September to mid-November. However, if you miss your flu shot in November it is still not too late to obtain one. It takes about two weeks after vaccination to develop antibodies against the flu. In the United States, the flu season occurs from about November until April but peak activity usually occurs between late December and early March. Sources: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Foundation for Infectious Diseases Printable version                 CARDIOVASCULAR PROTECTION        The flu vaccine reduces deaths overall and prevents pneumonia in the elderly, and some small studies have suggested that they help ward off heart disease and strokes.           Test your flu knowledge MSNBC Interactive • Take the MSNBC quiz and brush up on the facts about that pesky virus.          The researchers checked medical records for those over 65 enrolled in three managed-care plans in the Minneapolis, Portland, Ore., and New York City areas during two flu seasons — 1998-1999 and 1999-2000. Of the 140,055 people studied in the first flu season, 56 percent were vaccinated. In the second, 60 percent of the 146,328 enrollees got flu shots.        They compared hospital stays for those who got shots and those who didn’t. Flu vaccination cut hospitalizations for heart disease by 19 percent both seasons, the findings showed. Hospital stays for stroke were reduced by 16 percent the first season and 23 percent the second.              “There are very few things we can do in medicine that provide these kinds of benefits over a very short period of time. This is huge,” said Nichol.        Dr. William Schaffner, head of preventive medicine at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, said the results need to be investigated further but reinforce an important message.        “It offers even more reassurance and affirmation as to the importance of getting your flu shot annually,” said Schaffner.         REDUCED HOSPITAL STAYS        The researchers also found immunization cut hospital stays by about one-third for the flu and pneumonia, a common complication, and reduced by half the risk of death from any cause. The findings are similar to previous studies.                Nichol said the connection between the flu and heart disease and stroke isn’t clear but the virus could be affecting blood vessels and the development of clots in the brain and heart.        Schaffner said there should be a national program to provide flu shots, noting that the government has launched a smallpox vaccine program without a single case.        “We have an estimated 20-30,000 deaths due to influenza. We need an organized, national vaccine program each year,” he said.                © 2003 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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