Swine flu shots must for cardiac patients

NEW DELHI - As swine flu cases shoot up across India with the onset of the monsoon, experts are suggesting vaccines for those with chronic illness like heart diseases.

“A swine flu shot is a must especially for those with heart problems because flu infection can cause a heart attack,” Praveer Agarwal, cardiologist in the Escorts Heart Institute here, told IANS.

The H1N1 virus, which has so far claimed nearly 1,600 lives across the country since its outbreak last year, is again spreading in most southern states where the monsoon has set in.

“When a person is sick, the requirement of blood in the body goes up. This results in increased pressure on heart which is already weak. Due to the persisting ailment, this may also lead to a heart attack,” said Balbir Singh, eminent cardiologist in the Medanta Medicity hospital in Gurgaon.

But Delhi’s chemists say they have no stock of the suggested vaccines.

“Swine flu vaccines are not available in shops as yet. There is no demand for it either,” Kailash Gupta of the All Delhi Chemist Association told IANS.

Delhi has so far recorded the highest number of 9,700 cases of swine flu since its outbreak in May 2009. A total of 95 deaths were reported last year.

This year the virus has not shown much impact so far, but experts feel that the monsoon may worsen the problems.

A total of three cases were reported from Delhi in the last two months while one death was reported from neighbouring Ghaziabad last week.

Doctors say that while this flu is dangerous for all, patients of chronic illness are at higher risk as their immune system and other body functions are already weak.

“Flu produces significant stress on the cardiovascular system. It causes breathing difficulty, changes in blood pressure, rapid heart rate, and even direct effects on the heart which make this illness particularly difficult, even dangerous, for someone who has heart disease,” says Singh.

The vaccine is also recommended for patients with other chronic illnesses like cancer and respiratory disorders.

“So far we have been using the usual pneumonia vaccines for these patients; now that we have an indigenous vaccine, it should be easier,” Singh said.

India’s first indigenous swine flu vaccine manufactured by Zydus Cadila was launched last month. These vaccines are, however, not recommended for pregnant women and children.

“For pregnant women and children, precautions like washing hands regularly and maintaining distance from infected people is recommended,” Singh added.

A total of 345 new cases of swine flu and 17 deaths were reported in India last week.

Kerala remains the most severely affected state with 266 cases and seven deaths. Maharashtra, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu are other seriously affected states.

(Anjali Ojha can be contacted at anjali.o@ians.in)

–Indo Asian news Service