Pneumonia vaccine lowers heart attack risk
The vaccine for pneumococcal pneumonia reduces the chances of a heart attack in patients at risk.
The vaccine for pneumococcal
pneumonia reduces the chances of a
heart attack in patients at risk.
The bacterium, pneumococcus, also known as
Streptococcus pneumoniae, causes pneumonia. However, it can also cause
infection in virtually any part of the body, including the ears, sinuses, bones, blood and the brain.
Past studies have revealed that pneumonia can increase the risk of heart attacks and
strokes. Researchers from America investigated 43,209 individuals with no history of plaque build-up in their blood vessels, but having
high blood pressure,
diabetes and high cholesterol, to find out whether or not immunity against pneumococcus could lower the risk of a heart attack.
It was found that 999 participants who had experienced a heart attack were less likely to have received the pneumococcal vaccine than the 3996 comparison subjects who did not have a heart attack. The rates of vaccination in these patients were 7 percent and 12 percent respectively.
It was concluded that vaccination for pneumonia could reduce the risk of a heart attack by 57 percent. If confirmed by further studies, this association may offer another reason to promote pneumococcal vaccination.
Canadian Medical Association Journal
October 2008
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