With this new data, the flu is no longer a simple respiratory illness, it is a real vascular emergency that plays out in the shadow of flu symptoms. Doctors urge caution.
Between 2 and 6 million French people contract the flu every winter. Unlike the common cold, which sets in gradually, the flu “falls on you” within a few hours. We go from a normal state to a total inability to get out of bed, overcome by a burning fever and intense aches. But while you fight fatigue, a much quieter danger is coursing through your bloodstream.
It’s not just your lungs that the flu virus attacks: it’s your entire vascular network. This brutal attack triggers massive systemic inflammation, a sort of biological “storm” that does more than just raise your temperature. “Inflammation plays a key role in the development and progression of cardiovascular disease. It contributes to the formation and breakdown of atherosclerotic plaques in the arteries, which can lead to heart attacks and strokes. Elevation of certain inflammatory markers is associated with worse prognosis and increased risk of future events“, specify American researchers in a new survey (compiling 155 studies) published in the Journal of the American Heart Association.
The study confirms it: people who have contracted the flu are 5 times more likely to have a stroke.in the weeks following the flu episode“. Researchers estimate that this window of vulnerability extends precisely over the 28 days following infection (4 weeks). In other words, even if you feel healed, your heart and brain remain on borrowed time for this period of time.
During this month of high surveillance, caution is required: doctors recommend avoiding intense physical exertion or thermal stress (such as sauna or exposure to sharp cold), which could strain a cardiovascular system that is still inflamed. It’s also crucial to stay alert for signs that have nothing to do with the lungs, such as sudden weakness, slurred speech, or unusual headaches.
With this new data, the flu is no longer a simple respiratory illness, it is a real vascular emergency that plays out in the shadow of flu symptoms. Influenza vaccination appears to be crucial in reducing the risk of stroke. The studies are categorical: influenza vaccination reduces the risk of major cardiovascular events by 34%. In patients who have already had a heart attack, this protection even rises to 45%. Getting a flu shot is like wearing your seat belt. It does not prevent the accident (exposure to the virus), but it prevents the shock from being fatal for your vital organs.
