Issue Date: November 8, 2009
Concern about the H1N1 vaccine
Certain people are at high risk of complications from the H1N1 swine flu, including those with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD.
COPD is a group of conditions that occurs when structures supporting tiny air sacs (alveoli) in the lungs are compromised. When enough alveoli are damaged, usually over many years, the sufferer develops shortness of breath, a chronic cough and a higher risk of respiratory infections. Smoking cigarettes is the major risk factor for developing COPD.
An H1N1 vaccination is recommended for those with COPD. However, some people are concerned about its safety, which is typical when a vaccination is developed in an expedited fashion. A vaccination can cause problems periodically, as it did in 1976, when cases of Guillain-Barré syndrome, a serious neurological condition, were reported in people who had received the vaccination.
The national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Academy of Neurology will be carefully monitoring this side effect. They have asked doctors to report Guillain-Barré cases and will look for trends among those who got the H1N1 vaccination early. Your doctor can update you.
Tedd Mitchell, M.D., president and CEO of Dallas' Cooper Clinic, writes HealthSmart every week.
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