Medical Intel

Typical symptoms of the flu, which affects up to 20 percent of Americans annually, can take a toll on one’s health in their own right. However, there’s an even more serious concern to consider. Dr. Allen J. Taylor explains how the flu can increase heart attack risk.   TRANSCRIPT Intro: MedStar Washington Hospital Center presents Medical Intel where our healthcare team shares health and wellness insights and gives you the inside story on advances in medicine. Host: Thanks for joining us today. We’re speaking with Dr. Allen J. Taylor, Chair of Cardiology at MedStar Heart & Vascular Institute. Welcome, Dr. Taylor. Dr. Allen J. Taylor: Thank you. Host: Today we’re discussing how the flu can affect a person’s risk of heart issues, particularly heart attack. It’s widely known that the flu can be dangerous, and it kills thousands of otherwise healthy people each year in the U.S. Increasing the concern, a 2018 study published in the British Medical Journal suggests that a patient’s risk of heart attack might be s