Flu vaccine for patients who have suffered a stroke

The Stroke Brake Foundation has published a series of informative materials with the aim of raising awareness among this group about the crucial importance of annual vaccinationgiven the height risk of serious complications.

Thus, the Foundation recalls that recent research has shown that people who have suffered a ictus have a significantly increased risk of get the flu and suffer serious complications derived from the infection. The campaign has the social endorsement of the Spanish Society of Neurology (SEN) and the support of SEN Cerebrovascular Diseases Study Group (GEECV)in collaboration with Sanofi.

Stroke, the second cause of death globally and the first among women, affects 120,000 people each year in Spain. The Foundation indicates that this disorder not only significantly weakens the immune systemincreasing susceptibility to infections such as the flu, but also causes respiratory problems that hinder the body’s ability to fight disease, increasing the risk of serious complications.

Furthermore, he points out that the ictus It is the main cause of disability in adults, and although one in two people who suffer from it does not fully recover, 90 percent of cases are preventable.

Key recommendations for prevention

Among the main recommendations of the campaign are the risk factor controlthe adoption of lifestyle habits healthypersonal hygiene measures and, above all, the annual flu vaccination. The vaccine is presented as the most effective measure to prevent serious complications in patients who have suffered a stroke.

In this sense, the campaign ‘Get Vaccinated and Avoid Risks’ for yet another year it is articulated through a series of visual resources that include five key images about the importance of vaccination. In addition, a sixth image has been developed for the quick identification of stroke symptoms, as well as a video in different formats that summarizes all the information in a visual and accessible way.

The resources will be accessible through the Foundation’s various communication channels, which will allow us to reach a larger audience and foster greater awareness. In addition, the campaign will have a dissemination strategy on social networks, which will include the publication of a new video designed to capture the attention of digital audiences and reinforce the awareness message on these platforms.

The Foundation emphasizes that flu vaccination is safe and highly recommended for stroke patients, regardless of their age. At this point, remember that the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Spanish Society of Neurology (SEN) emphasize the need for all those affected to receive this vaccine annually to reduce the risk of serious complications.

“For those patients who cannot receive the vaccine, it is recommended additional measuressuch as frequent hand washing and avoiding contact with sick people, as alternative means to minimize the risk of contagion,” concludes the Foundation.