1. Acute viral and selected non-respiratory infections, including influenza, SARS-CoV-2, and herpes zoster, represent important triggers of cardiovascular events.1-7

What is new

1. Several infectious diseases—including respiratory viral infections and herpes zoster—act as triggers of major adverse cardiovascular events.1-7

2. Influenza vaccination reduces cardiovascular mortality and major cardiovascular events in randomized trials and meta-analyses.4,12,13

3. Vaccination broadens the scope of cardiovascular prevention beyond traditional therapies.

1. Cardiologists should routinely assess vaccination status in patients with cardiovascular disease.14,18-21

2. Hospitalization for acute coronary syndromes or heart failure represents an opportunity to administer vaccines before discharge.8,19,22

3. Vaccination should be integrated alongside lipid lowering, blood pressure control, metabolic control, antithrombotic therapy, and lifestyle modification.

4. The contemporary cardiologist should actively recommend, prescribe, and facilitate vaccination as part of cardiovascular care.