'Flu Shot May Prevent Heart Attack' (Will Also Grant You Immortality and Make You Rich)

Getting a seasonal flu shot may not only prevent influenza — it may also stop some people from having a heart attack, new research suggests.

In a study of almost 79,000 patients at 379 family practices in England and Wales, researchers found annual flu vaccinations were associated with a significant drop in the rate of a first heart attack.

"Flu vaccination is obviously given to prevent flu and complications of flu where you may need hospitalization," said lead author Dr. Niroshan Siriwardena, a family practitioner and a researcher at the University of Lincoln.

"But now the finding suggests there's an additional benefit in terms of reduction of heart attack," he said Monday from Lincoln, England.'

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