What Heart Patients Should Know about COVID Vaccination

Dr.Sukriti Bhalla, 3 mins read

One of Delhi’s best cardiologists explains…

Experts at our heart hospital in Dwarka have been receiving numerous questions from heart and stroke patients asking us if the new COVID vaccines are safe for them given their heart condition, and we have a simple answer to that question; the answer is a resounding yes! And in case you’re thinking of safe cardiac surgery in Dwarka; then look no further than the best cardiac surgery in Dwarka at Aakash Healthcare, where we adhere to all global coronavirus protection guidelines and treat patients safely with care.

People diagnosed with any cardiovascular disease or who are at risk of cardiovascular disease should most definitely get vaccinated to first and foremost protect themselves and their families from COVID-19, protecting our loved ones is top priority after all.

The government -approved vaccines pose no specific or risk for heart patients our cardiologists have been constantly encouraging their patients with cardiovascular risk factors, heart disease or a past record of suffering heart attack or stroke to get vaccinated as quickly as they can once the vaccines are rolled out for the general public. Getting vaccinated is important for them as patients with serious underlying conditions are at higher risk of developing severe life-threatening complications from COVID-19.

People who have or have had heart disease or stroke, even for that matter any potential risk for developing heart disease and stroke are at considerably greater risk from the virus than they are from getting the vaccine.

All kinds of vaccines have side effects but these are usually temporary and short. It can be said that the risk of any complication is less. The most likely side effect may be a sore arm from the shot itself.

People should not worry if they have heard about other temporary and few side effects, the trails before like pain at the spot, feeling tired, headaches, muscular pain, feeling cold, joint pain and a low fever.

Years of research and study on flu vaccines actually say that these reactions are indeed a sign that the body is launching an immune response. That's exactly what we want in order for our bodies to make antibodies that will save us from getting sick if we ever come across the virus again

The vaccines currently approved do not carry a live virus, so that does greatly decrease concerns for patients with heart disease.

The vaccines are safe for people who are on blood-thinning medications as well, People with blood thinners may need to press down on the shot site for a while longer.

In some very rare cases, the COVID-19 vaccine can cause severe allergic reactions, which is why people need to be monitored after getting the injection. It must be noted that these vaccines have come out on record time and there is a lot more study needed regarding the tolerability and potential reactions of all people.

Some questions simply can’t be answered yet.

Trials in children have begun, which is why the vaccines have not yet been approved for them. And data is quite limited for adults who have congenital heart conditions.

It may be some time before everyone gets a COVID-19 vaccine. But people can protect themselves against influenza by getting a flu shot, please remember that a flu vaccine won’t protect against COVID-19, but it does reduce the chance of developing symptoms that might be confused with it and confuse diagnosis.

Misinformation about vaccines has spread on social media and this makes it even more important for people to find reliable and trustworthy sources for knowing the facts. The most reliable source of information will be a primary health care provider, cardiologists and other medical professional, they will have access to actual studies and will use accurate and up-to-date information which won’t be available generally and they will advise you best on how to go about vaccination.

You can check out our website or social media pages for regular updates and information on vaccines.

The vaccines might have been developed within a year of the pandemic but research into the underlying technology has been on for more than ten years, so we should see this as a positive that a vaccine arrived at all, and within record time; a truly miraculous achievement.

Please remember that our frontline workers and other people have gotten the vaccine already and have reported nothing troublesome or uncomfortable nor have they complained of any significant unexpected side effects either, and it is safe to say that this is good news for all of us. "