New ACC Concise Clinical Guidance Consolidates Recommendations on Immunization as Part of CV Care

The ACC has issued a brand new Concise Clinical Guidance doc, “2025 Concise Clinical Guidance: An ACC Expert Consensus Statement on Adult Immunizations as Part of Cardiovascular Care,” recommending immunizations to guard adults with coronary heart illness in opposition to respiratory sickness, together with influenza, COVID-19 and RSV, and different illnesses the place vaccination is proven to supply cardiovascular protecting advantages.

Published in JACC, the CCG consolidates vaccine-specific suggestions made by ACC/American Heart Association pointers and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and contains solutions to ceaselessly requested questions. Primary vaccine takeaways embody:

1. Influenza – This annual vaccine is beneficial for all adults to scale back cardiovascular morbidity, cardiovascular mortality and all-cause demise. Nasal variations of the vaccine usually are not beneficial in sufferers over 50.
2. Pneumococcal – Recommended for adults 19 or older with coronary heart illness, this one-time vaccine protects in opposition to pneumonia, bacteremia and meningitis and associated threat of hospitalization and demise. Following CDC/Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices advice, the steerage advises a single dose of PCV20 or PCV21, or PCV15 adopted by PPSV23 relying on prior vaccination historical past.
3. COVID-19 – For the 2024-25 season, all adults with heart problems have been beneficial to obtain the seasonal COVID-19 vaccine. Future vaccination frequency might change, however it’s seemingly vaccination will stay helpful for these with heart problems. Benefits embody diminished threat of an infection, extreme an infection, demise, myocardial infarction, COVID-19 induced pericarditis/myocarditis, COVID-19 induced stroke and atrial fibrillation, and lengthy COVID signs.  
4. RSV – Current steerage recommends a single dose, relatively than annual vaccination, for adults 75 or older and for adults aged 50 to 74 with heart problems to guard in opposition to decrease respiratory illness that may end up in hospitalization and demise.
5. Shingles – Recommended for adults 50 or older to obtain two doses to guard in opposition to elevated threat of stroke and myocardial infarction when contaminated. People with heart problems are at an elevated threat of shingles an infection.

In addition to the vaccine-specific steerage, the doc outlines methods to enhance vaccination charges, tackle hesitancy and overcome limitations to entry, noting that clinician-patient discussions about vaccination throughout cardiology visits may be an vital alternative to combine vaccination right into a cardiovascular care plan.

“Access starts with physician knowledge leading to shared decision-making discussions for vaccine administration including how to address vaccine hesitancy,” write the authors. “The cardiovascular clinician’s effectiveness will be supported by system strategies … including clinical nudges and clinical ‘vaccine champions’ to optimize vaccine uptake, reduce morbidity, and ultimately improve patient length and quality of life.”

The Frequently Asked Questions part additionally supplies info that can be utilized to help with affected person discussions. “Vaccination against communicable respiratory diseases and other serious diseases is critical for people with heart disease, but barriers exist to ensuring people are educated on which vaccines to get, how often to get them and why they are important,” mentioned Paul A. Heidenreich, MD, FACC, chair of the writing committee. “With this document, we want to encourage clinicians to have these conversations and help their patients manage vaccination as part of a standard prevention and treatment plan.”