Impact of the Influenza Vaccine on Myocardial Infarction Risk: A Systematic Review

Influenza continues to pose a significant global public health challenge. Older adults are particularly vulnerable to the virus, largely due to age-related declines in immune function and the presence of comorbidities such as hypertension and diabetes mellitus. Moreover, influenza can worsen existing health conditions. This systematic review examined the effect of influenza vaccination on the risk of developing myocardial infarctions. Influenza vaccine may play a role in reducing negative cardiovascular (CV) outcomes, especially if received annually. Due to the greater risk of influenza infection complications among older adults identified in this systematic review, especially CV disease complications, additional prospective studies evaluating risk mitigation with annual influenza vaccination are warranted, and the potential for awareness programs promoting annual influenza vaccination should be considered as a preventive health measure. This may help to significantly reduce both influenza-related illness and CV complications among high-risk populations, including elderly individuals.