The U.S. flu season could be uncharacteristically harsh this winter, NPR reported this month—and that could have serious consequences for heart patients.
According to NPR, local scientists are worried because the country’s initial flu outbreak came about three weeks early this year, which is an ominous sign.
“When you have an early start with regional outbreaks, that is generally not a good sign,” Anthony Fauci, of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said in the article. “Sometimes that’s the forerunner of a serious season.”
Fauci also said worry stems from the fact that Australia has seen a rough flu season, too, and U.S. officials follow reports from the southern hemisphere to predict their own country’s outbreaks.
The flu can worsen chronic heart problems and lead to serious conditions like bacterial pneumonia, according to the American Heart Association (AHA), and can put unnecessary stress on a cardiovascular patient’s heart.
Vaccination is the best protection against the virus, the AHA says.
Read NPR’s full report here:
After graduating from Indiana University-Bloomington with a bachelor’s in journalism, Anicka joined TriMed’s Chicago team in 2017 covering cardiology. Close to her heart is long-form journalism, Pilot G-2 pens, dark chocolate and her dog Harper Lee.