If You're Over 65, You Might Want to Get a High-Dose Flu Vaccine

Key TakeawaysA new study suggests that high-dose influenza vaccines are better than standard-dose vaccines at preventing hospitalization and death in older adults who get the flu.Currently, the CDC recommends three different vaccines for American adults aged 65 and older.Experts recommend getting your annual flu vaccine before the end of October.

Key Takeaways

A new study suggests that high-dose influenza vaccines are better than standard-dose vaccines at preventing hospitalization and death in older adults who get the flu.Currently, the CDC recommends three different vaccines for American adults aged 65 and older.Experts recommend getting your annual flu vaccine before the end of October.

Previous studies have suggested that getting the flu may raise a person’s risk for cardiovascular events like heart attacks. It seems like getting a flu shot could be a reasonable way to try to lower that risk.

For the new trial, the researchers wanted to find out if the flu vaccine dose would have an effect on the risks of flu-related hospitalizations and deaths inolder adults, specifically.

It was important to focus on this age group, as older adults may already be at a higher risk for heart problems (for example, if they already haveheart disease).

Getting a Flu Shot May Help Reduce Your Risk of a Heart Attack

Flu Fight: High-Dose vs. Standard Dose

The researchers looked at data on 12,477 older patients (average age 72) who had been randomly assigned to get either a high-dose or standard-dose flu vaccine.

The group that got a high-dose flu vaccine had a 49% lower risk of death and a 64% lower risk of hospitalization for the flu orpneumoniathan the group that got the standard dose.

In a statement,Tor Biering-Sørensen, MD, PhD, MPH, a study co-author and associate professor at the University of Copenhagen, said that the findings “were encouraging but require confirmation in a larger trial before potentially guiding clinical practice.”

The study’s findings are in line with the current flu shot vaccine guidance for older Americans from the CDC.However, not every flu shot that’s offered to this age group is a high-dose one. Here’s what you should know about flu vaccine options for people over age 65.

Flu Shots for Older People

Flu Shot Recommendations If You’re Over 65

Older adults are at a higher risk forflu-related complications. Between 70% and 85% of seasonalflu-related deathsoccur in people 65 and older, and 50% to 70% of seasonalflu-related hospitalizationsoccur in this age group.

The CDC recommends that people 65 and older get either a higher-dose or adjuvanted flu vaccine. The two vaccine types offer similar benefits but are a little different:

Thomas Russo, MD, professor and chief of infectious disease at the University at Buffalo in New York, told Verywell that it’s “encouraging that both of these formulations seem to be doing a good job of providing protection.”

Overall, Russo said there’s no preference for which vaccine seniors should get, and he “would recommend either the high-dose or adjuvanted.”

What’s in a Flu Shot?

Which Type of Flu Shot Should You Get?

Earlier this year, the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) was thinking about recommending certainflu shots, including one high-dose flu vaccine.

Currently, there are three flu shot options that are recommended for older Americans:

According to the CDC, these options are the preferred choice for people over 65 “because a review of available studies suggested that, in this age group, these vaccines are potentiallymore effectivethan standard dose unadjuvanted flu vaccines.”

Infectious disease expertAmesh A. Adalja, MD, a senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, told Verywell that high-dose flu vaccines “provide more of a stimulus to the immune system and counteract the less robust immune responses often seen in the elderly, who are also one of the highest risk groups for fatal influenza.”

CDC May Recommend High-Dose Flu Shot for Adults Over 65

When to Get a Flu Shot

That said, if you don’t have the option of waiting, it’s better to get vaccinated early than skip it altogether.

“If you happen to have an appointment with your physician, it’s better to get your shot than rather than miss an opportunity,” Russo said.

What This Means For YouThe CDC recommends a yearly influenza vaccine for all Americans aged 6 months and up.Older people are at a higher risk for serious complications from the flu. If you’re 65 years old or older, experts recommend getting your annual flu shot before the end of October, and opting for either a high-dose or adjuvant version.

What This Means For You

The CDC recommends a yearly influenza vaccine for all Americans aged 6 months and up.Older people are at a higher risk for serious complications from the flu. If you’re 65 years old or older, experts recommend getting your annual flu shot before the end of October, and opting for either a high-dose or adjuvant version.

The CDC recommends a yearly influenza vaccine for all Americans aged 6 months and up.

Older people are at a higher risk for serious complications from the flu. If you’re 65 years old or older, experts recommend getting your annual flu shot before the end of October, and opting for either a high-dose or adjuvant version.

9 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Flu and people 65 years and older.European Society of Cardiology.Innovative randomised trial hints at mortality benefits with high-dose influenza vaccines.Kwong JC, Schwartz KL, Campitelli MA,et al.Acute myocardial infarction after laboratory-confirmed influenza infection.N Engl J Med. 2018;378:345–353. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa1702090American Heart Association.Flu shot reduces risk of death for people with heart disease.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Adjuvants and vaccines.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Fluzone high-dose seasonal influenza vaccine.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.CDC director adopts preference for specific flu vaccines for seniors.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Recombinant influenza (flu) vaccine.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Adjuvanted flu vaccine.

9 Sources

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Flu and people 65 years and older.European Society of Cardiology.Innovative randomised trial hints at mortality benefits with high-dose influenza vaccines.Kwong JC, Schwartz KL, Campitelli MA,et al.Acute myocardial infarction after laboratory-confirmed influenza infection.N Engl J Med. 2018;378:345–353. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa1702090American Heart Association.Flu shot reduces risk of death for people with heart disease.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Adjuvants and vaccines.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Fluzone high-dose seasonal influenza vaccine.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.CDC director adopts preference for specific flu vaccines for seniors.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Recombinant influenza (flu) vaccine.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Adjuvanted flu vaccine.

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Flu and people 65 years and older.European Society of Cardiology.Innovative randomised trial hints at mortality benefits with high-dose influenza vaccines.Kwong JC, Schwartz KL, Campitelli MA,et al.Acute myocardial infarction after laboratory-confirmed influenza infection.N Engl J Med. 2018;378:345–353. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa1702090American Heart Association.Flu shot reduces risk of death for people with heart disease.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Adjuvants and vaccines.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Fluzone high-dose seasonal influenza vaccine.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.CDC director adopts preference for specific flu vaccines for seniors.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Recombinant influenza (flu) vaccine.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Adjuvanted flu vaccine.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Flu and people 65 years and older.

European Society of Cardiology.Innovative randomised trial hints at mortality benefits with high-dose influenza vaccines.

Kwong JC, Schwartz KL, Campitelli MA,et al.Acute myocardial infarction after laboratory-confirmed influenza infection.N Engl J Med. 2018;378:345–353. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa1702090

American Heart Association.Flu shot reduces risk of death for people with heart disease.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Adjuvants and vaccines.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Fluzone high-dose seasonal influenza vaccine.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.CDC director adopts preference for specific flu vaccines for seniors.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Recombinant influenza (flu) vaccine.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Adjuvanted flu vaccine.

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