UMEM Educational Pearls

Title: What Patients are at High Risk for Flu-Related Complications?

Keywords: Infectious diseases, influenza (PubMed Search)

Posted: 3/2/2016 by Jon Mark Hirshon, PhD, MPH, MD
Click here to contact Jon Mark Hirshon, PhD, MPH, MD

While the flu season this year has been mild, it is still important to recognize which patients are at high risk for flu-related complications:

Children < 5 years old
- Especially children < 2 years old
Adults > 65 years old
Pregnant women
- Including women up to 2 weeks post-partum
Residents of long-term care facilities, such as nursing homes
American Indians and Alaskan Natives
Patients with certain medical conditions, including:
- Respiratory diseases, such as asthma and COPD
- Neurological and neurodevelopmental conditions
- Heart disease, including CHF and CAD
- Blood disorders (e.g. sickle cell disease)
- Endocrine and metabolic disorders (e.g. diabetes)
- Kidney or liver diseases
- People <19 years old on long-term aspirin therapy
- Morbid obesity (BMI > 40)
- Immunocompromised, (e.g. chronic steroids, transplant patients, AIDS patients, chronic steroid use)

During the influenza season, when admitting a patient who 1) has respiratory symptoms and 2) is at high risk for influenza complications, consider testing them for influenza.

References

http://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/disease/high_risk.htm