Sudden Arrythmia Death Syndromes and Vaccinations

February 2019 Question of the Month: Are vaccinations 'okay' if I have a SADS condition*? Should I get my flu shot?

For the Heart of the Matter Ask the Experts series from the SADS Foundation, Dr. Michael J. Ackerman, a genetic cardiologist from Mayo Clinic, discusses how the benefits of immunizations far out way the risks for patients with genetic heart rhythm syndromes.

During the 2017-2018 flu season, nearly 200 children died from influenza while thousands more were hospitalized. The SADS Foundation agrees with the American Academy of Pediatrics current recommendation that states that any child over the age of 6 months should get their flu vaccine every year.

Have a question about a SADS condition* that you want answered? Submit it here!

**According to the SADS Foundation website, SADS conditions are defined as Brugada Syndrome, Catecholaminergic Polymorphic Ventricular Tachycardia (CPVT), Long QT Syndrome (LQTS), Short QT Syndrome (SQTS), Timothy Syndrome and Wolff Parkinson White (WPW). Related conditions that can also cause sudden cardiac arrest in young people are malformations of the heart muscle such as a dysplasia (misplaced) or cardiomyopathy (thickening). These conditions include Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Dysplasia/Cardiomyopathy (ARVD/C), hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) or Dilated Cardiomyopathy (DM).

Check out the Heart Rhythm Conditions group to join discussions and read other people's opinions with genetic heart rhythm disorders about getting vaccinations.