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Swine flu may raise heart risk
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Published: September 3, 2009
BARCELONA, Spain - Experts are concerned about the effect of swine flu on people with heart disease, with some doctors warning it could lead to a spike in heart patient fatalities.
Some doctors warned this week that patients with heart disease, the world's top killer, should be among the first to receive a swine flu vaccine when it is available.
In many heart failure patients, fluid builds up in the lungs because blood isn't pumped efficiently enough. Patients can take drugs to get rid of this excess fluid, but if they catch the flu, the drugs don't work as well.
In addition, if heart failure patients develop a fever, a common swine flu symptom, the stress of trying to fight that off could put a potentially fatal strain on their hearts.
The Associated Press
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