Preventing flu by vaccination helps prevent middle-aged and elderly people suffering heart attacks, researchers reported last night.
The British flu vaccination programme cuts the risk of someone suffering their first heart attack during the winter by up to 21 per cent, researchers found.
And the earlier someone is vaccinated, the better the protection against heart attack, according to the study of more than 78,000 patients from 379 GP practices in England and Wales.
Some 16,000 of the patients, aged 40 and over, suffered a heart attack and half of these had been vaccinated.
The findings were published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal.
The UK programme offers the vaccine to elderly people – but the researchers say the findings suggest young people may also benefit.
Researcher Dr Niroshan Siriwardena, of Lincoln University, UK, said: "Our findings reinforce current recommendations for annual influenza vaccination of target groups, with a potential added benefit for prevention of acute myocardial infarction in those without established cardiovascular disease.
"This benefit may lead to an increase in suboptimal rates of vaccination, particularly among younger patients."
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