Influenza vaccination as part of cardiovascular prevention — expert opinion supported by the Working Group on Cardiovascular Pharmacotherapy and Working Group on Prevention and Epidemiology Section of the Polish Cardiac Society

Influenza increases the risk of cardiovascular (CV) incidents, hospitalization for heart failure, heart attack, stroke, and CV death. Annual influenza vaccination is a well-known, safe and effective method of reducing the risk of infection in general and, above all, reducing the risk of severe disease. The preventive effect of annual vaccination is particularly important in groups at risk of a severe course of infection and the development of complications - these include cardiac patients. In this group, the additional benefits of vaccination are also particularly important - reducing the risk of CV incidents and death. However, vaccination coverage in Poland is still at a staggeringly low level. This document aims to popularize influenza vaccination as one of the key elements of general health and CV prevention.