A new study has examined the impact of flu shot on the survival rate of people diagnosed with heart failure. A team of researchers from the University of Copenhagen in Denmark analyzed data from a total of 134,048 Danish people recently diagnosed of heart failure.

The data analysis in now published in the American Heart Association's journal Circulation.

Having the flu shot less than once a year resulted in an 8 percent reduction in the risk of cardiovascular death and a 13 percent reduced risk of all-cause death when compared to people who never had the vaccination.

Having an annual flu vaccination after a diagnosis of heart failure showed a 19 percent reduction in cardiovascular death and all-cause death compared to those who didn’t get vaccinated.

The team found that there was reduction in the number of cardiovascular and all-cause deaths when people received the vaccine at the beginning of the flu season, which is around September or October, rather than in November and December, for example.

Lead author of the study Daniel Modin says, the study can help in making physicians and cardiologists aware of how important influenza vaccination is for their patients.