Daily HealthBeat Tip

More help from the flu shot

From the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, I'm Ira Dreyfuss with HHS HealthBeat.

Did you know the annual flu shot can also protect the heart? Experts say it reduces the chance that people with heart disease will get a recurrence or get sicker � and possibly die.

This double-barreled benefit from a single-barrel shot is why the American Heart Association and the American College of Cardiology say these folks should get flu shots. Their report is in the heart association journal Circulation.

Harlan Krumholz of Yale chaired the panel that wrote the advisory. He says the flu shot adds to ways these people can help themselves.

"We think that people who get flu shots can reduce their risk as much as people who can lower their cholesterol, and keep their blood pressure under control, and have a good diet, and exercise. It's a substantial reduction in risk." (11 seconds)

All that, and flu protection, too.

Learn more at www.hhs.gov.

HHS HealthBeat is a production of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. I'm Ira Dreyfuss.

Last revised: September 19, 2006

The White House | USA.gov | Helping America's Youth