According to research performed in the United Kingdom and published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal the influenza vaccine seems to reduce the risk of a first heart attack by 19%.

The study included people at least 40 years of age. It also found that the pneumococcal vaccine (pneumonia shot) had no affect on the occurrence of heart attacks.

Just one more reason to get the all important flu shot! bjmdjd

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Canadian Medical Association Journal · flu · flu shot · flu vaccine · influenza · pneumococcal vaccine

In the October issue of Obstetrics and Gynecology the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology Committee on Obstetric Practice (COP) issued new guidelines on getting the flu vaccine during pregnancy.

The view of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practice is that all women who are going to be pregnant from October through May should get the vaccine. This is supported by the COP.

The authors of the opinion stated that the flu vaccine is an integral part of prenatal care. bjmdjd

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American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology Committee on Obstetric Practice (COP) · Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practice · flu · flu shot · flu vaccine · influenza · Obstetrics and Gynecology (journal)

Even though I did a post on the flu vaccine back on August 1st you really can’t be reminded about it too often! The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that everyone 6 months of age and older be vaccinated as soon as the vaccination becomes available which is now.

As usual the vaccine will protect against the three most likely strains of flu expected to be prevalent this flu season. This years shot will include coverage for the H1N1 virus that caused so much illness last season. With more manufacturers than before there is not expected to be a shortage of vaccine this season.

Vaccination is particularly important for those who are at high risk of flu complications including young children, pregnant women, people with chronic health problems like diabetes, asthma, heart and lung disease, and people 65 years of age and older. While children younger than 6 months of age are at a high risk they are too young to be vaccinated. It is important to vaccinate the people that take care of them and will be around them instead.

And once again…THE FLU SHOT DOES NOT AND CANNOT CAUSE THE FLU!!!  bjmdjd

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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · flu shot · flu vaccine · health · wellness

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices has voted to recommend that all adults receive the annual influenza vaccine beginning next flu season (2010 – 2011). Prior to this recommendation the focus was on people between the ages of 6 months and 18 years old and over 50 years old, anyone at risk of complications from the flu, and those in close contact with high risk individuals.

Now the new recommendation encourages everyone over the age of 6 months to be vaccinated unless they have a contraindication. Since vaccine makers have plenty of lead time for planning an increased manufacturing schedule it is hoped that the increase need for vaccine will not cause a shortage.  bjmdjd

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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · flu shot · flu vaccine · health · universal flu vaccine recommendation · wellness

A spokesman for the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently stated that even though the number of cases of H1N1 flu is decreasing there still haven’t been enough people who have received the vaccine. Doses of the vaccine are now plentiful so if you were planning on getting the H1N1 flu shot when it was in short supply there are plenty of doses available now and it is not too late.

Many folks take the drug Celebrex for arthritis and other inflammatory type diseases. A medical study published on Dec. 16, 2009 reported that recent testing on dogs found that taking Celebrex and other drugs in that class decreased the effectiveness of low dose aspirin (81 mg) that many people take to help “thin” the blood. It will be important to see if further study shows these findings to be true in humans.  bjmdjd

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Celebrex · flu shot · H1N1 flu · H1N1 flu shot · low dose aspirin