Are You at High Risk for Serious Illness from the Flu?

Influenza, commonly called the "flu," is a contagious viral infection that affects the respiratory system — your nose, throat and lungs. Symptoms of the flu can include fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. Some people may also have vomiting and diarrhea.

The flu can be an unpredictable and serious disease that can lead to hospitalization and sometimes even death.

CDC estimates that from the 1976-1977 season to the 2006-2007 flu season, flu-associated deaths ranged from a low of about 3,000 to a high of about 49,000 people.

While the flu can make anyone sick, certain people are at greater risk for serious flu-related complications, like pneumonia and bronchitis. These groups include:

• Children younger than 5, but especially children younger than 2 years old
• Adults 65 years of age and older
• Pregnant women
• American Indians and Alaskan Natives

And people who have medical conditions including:

• Asthma
• Neurological and neurodevelopmental conditions [including disorders of the brain, spinal cord, peripheral nerve, and muscle such as cerebral palsy, epilepsy (seizure disorders), stroke, intellectual disability (mental retardation), moderate to severe developmental delay, muscular dystrophy, or spinal cord injury].

Chronic lung disease (such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease  and cystic fibrosis)

• Heart disease (such as congenital heart disease, congestive heart failure and coronary artery disease)
• Blood disorders (such as sickle cell disease)
• Endocrine disorders (such as diabetes mellitus)
• Kidney disorders
• Liver disorders
• Metabolic disorders (such as inherited metabolic disorders and mitochondrial disorders)
• Weakened immune system due to disease or medication (such as people with HIV or AIDS, or cancer, or those on chronic steroids)
• People younger than 19 years of age who are receiving long-term aspirin therapy
• People who are morbidly obese (Body Mass Index, or BMI, of 40 or greater)

Flu-Related Complications Can Affect You

Millions of Americans are impacted by long-term health conditions, but many people aren’t aware that they have one of these conditions. For example, diabetes affects about 26 million Americans, but it is estimated that 1 in 4 people with the disease don’t even know they have it. It’s important to ask your doctor whether you have a health condition that makes you more vulnerable to complications from the flu. In addition to those with chronic health conditions, many others are a high risk for flu complications because of their age or other factors.

Consider these facts:

• During the 2012-2013 flu season, 45% of adults hospitalized with laboratory-confirmed influenza had heart disease.
• Among Americans 20 years and older, 6.3% are morbidly obese (with a body mass index, or BMI, of 40 or greater).
• In pregnant women, changes in the immune system, heart and lungs make them prone to more severe illness from flu. In addition, a flu-infected pregnant woman also has an increased chance for miscarriage or preterm birth.
• In the United States, each year an average of 20,000 children younger than 5 years old are hospitalized because of flu complications.
• During the 2012-2013 influenza season, 169 flu-related pediatric deaths were reported.
• Among children 6 months and older, about 80-90% of flu-related pediatric deaths occur in children who have not received a flu vaccine.
• 9 out of 10 flu-related deaths in the United States occur in people 65 and older.

To learn if your chronic condition increases your risk of flu-related complications, contact Affinity Urgent Care today.

SOURCE: www.cdc.gov/features/fluhighrisk/