If you’ve ever needed extra incentive to get your elderly loved ones to the doctor’s office for their flu shot, here it is. New research says that simply getting your flu shot every year will reduce the chances that you will suffer from a stroke. The study was conducted by the University of Lincoln, UK, and was sponsored by the National Institute of Health Research.
If you or a loved one have never had a stroke before, your chances of suffering one during the first 59 days after having your flu shot drop by about 20 percent, this particular study suggested. The study also went on to say that the earlier in flu season you were vaccinated, the better protection from stroke you were given. Some demographics had their likelihood of suffering a stroke drop by as much as 36 percent. Regardless of the exact numbers, the study confirmed exactly how important it is that high risk people have their flu shot each year. This includes the elderly and those already suffering from cardiovascular diseases and illnesses.
Some medical professionals believe that having the flu can increase your likelihood of cardiovascular diseases. There is not much in terms of hard evidence to support this, but it is a theory based upon observation. The findings of this particular study do support it, though. The study was conducted as a self-controlled study, and these findings would need to be confirmed with clinical trials in order to hold any weight in the medical community, but this is an important first step in learning how to better protect our elderly loved ones during the flu season. Also, because this was a self-controlled study, there is a smaller chance that outside events could have prevented the strokes. In other words, although it’s not exact, the study did attempt to account for factors that might discredit any findings.
If you have a loved one that has suffered a serious stroke, it can be a nightmare. The person you love so much suddenly becomes unable to do many things. They may need an in-home caregiver to help them get through the day because of disability. Sometimes, strokes can be fatal. Some of these disabilities can be rehabilitated through therapy, others are permanent. Either way, it is a long and slow process and it is full of frustration. Lining up the appropriate care and medical attention can also be very time consuming and expensive. Taking steps to avoid having to go through something like this might seem like a hassle, but in the end they are a much more welcome alternative.
Getting your flu shot is a good idea anyway. Being sick is never fun, and the older you are, the weaker your immune system becomes. What might be the simple flu for a healthy adult can take weeks or months to recover from fully if you are already struggling with your health.
If interested, you can read more about the study here.
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