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Vaccination for People with Chronic Diseases

Strengthen your immune system with vaccination

Many Malaysian adults suffer from chronic diseases that somehow weaken their immune system, making them more susceptible to infections and their complications. When these occur, treatment can be particularly difficult, complicated and perhaps expensive, too.

This is why doctors are increasingly recommending that patients with chronic diseases be immunised. It will make it easier for you to care for your health without having to worry about vaccine-preventable diseases.

Chronic Lung Disease

COVID-19

  • Patients with chronic lung disease are at high risk of developing severe COVID-19.
  • Severe COVID-19 can cause inflammation and damage to the blood vessels of the lungs.
  • Taking vaccines and boosters can offer protection against COVID-19.

Influenza (Flu)

  • If you have chronic lung disease, influenza will worsen your condition.
  • Yearly vaccination is recommended because the virus is constantly changing.


Pneumococcal Disease (PnD)

  • Patients with COPD are more likely to suffer with invasive PnD.

 

Diabetes Mellitus (Type 1 or Type 2)

As a diabetic, you are immunocompromised

COVID-19

  • People with diabetes and high blood sugar who get COVID-19 are five times more likely to develop life-threatening complications than those without diabetes.
  • COVID-19 can trigger inflammation in the body which reduces insulin sensitivity. This can lead to higher blood sugar levels and make the infection worse.
  • COVID-19 vaccine and boosters can help reduce hospitalization and death rates by 55% among vaccinated diabetic patients.

Influenza (Flu)

  • Raises your blood glucose to dangerously high levels due to your body’s immune response.
  • Yearly vaccination is recommended because the virus is constantly changing.


Pneumococcal Disease (PnD)

  • People with diabetes are at higher risk of getting PnD complications that can result in death.
 
 

Heart Disease


COVID-19

  • COVID-19 infection can cause inflammation of heart muscle and blood vessels, leading to heart injury.
  • COVID-19 patients with heart disease have twice the risk of developing severe COVID-19 and death.
  • Vaccines and boosters can help reduce the risk of stroke and heart attack in people who get infected with COVID-19.

Influenza (Flu)

  • Causes increased risk of heart attack due to plaque destabilisation in blood vessels.
  • Yearly vaccination is recommended because the virus is constantly changing.


Pneumococcal Disease (PnD)

  • Causes increased resistance to blood flow resulting in acute coronary syndrome (heart attack).
 
 

Chronic Liver Disease

COVID-19

  • Can cause liver damage and complications among chronic liver disease patients.
  • COVID-19 infection can cause the body to overreact, releasing extra signals that trigger inflammation. This can lead to damage or death of liver cells.
  • People with chronic liver disease are advised to get the COVID-19 vaccine and boosters, as it helps prevent severe outcomes like hospitalization and death.

Hepatitis A & B

  • Cause further reduction in liver function and increased rate of cirrhotic damage.


Pneumococcal Disease (PnD)

  • Increased risk of pulmonary complications, including pneumococcal sepsis that can result in death.
  • Survivors may suffer from hearing loss, seizures, blindness or paralysis.

References

  1. Calver, F., J., Fabbri, L., May, J., & Jenkins, R., G. (2022). COVID-19 in Patients with Chronic Lung Disease. Clinics in Chest Medicine, 44(2), 385 – 393. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ccm.2022.11.013
  2. Kommoss, F., K., F., Schwab, C., Tavernar, L., Schreck, J., Wagner, W., L., Merle, U., Jonigk, D., Schirmacher, P., & Longerich, T. (2020). The Pathology of Severe COVID-19-Related Lung Damage. Dtsch Arztebl International, 117(29-30), 500-506. https://doi.org/10.3238/arztebl.2020.0500.
  3. Zanwar, P. P., Sasson, C., Heyn, P. C., Pinto, S. M., Magasi, S., Hirsch, M. A., Negm, A., & American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine (ACRM) Aging Research & Geriatric Rehabilitation Covid-19 & Frailty Task Force (2023). The COVID-19 Vaccine: Why Should I Get the Vaccines and the Boosters? Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitation, 104(5), 843–846. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apmr.2022.10.016
  4. Kalil, A. C. & Thomas, P. G. (2019). Influenza Virus-Related Critical Illness: Pathophysiology and Epidemiology. Critical Care, 23(1), 258. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13054-019-2539-x
  5. Kruckow, K. L., Zhao, K., Bowdish, D.M.E. & Orihuela, C.J. (2023). Acute Organ Injury and Long-Term Sequelae of Severe Pneumococcal Infections. Pneumonia, 15(5), 1-20. https://doi.org/10.1186/s41479-023-00110-y#citeas
  6. Bode, B., Garrett, V., & Messler J. (2020). Glycemic Characteristics and Clinical Outcomes of COVID-19 Patients Hospitalized in the United States. J Diabetes Sci Technol, 14(4), 813-821. https://doi.org/10.1177/1932296820924469
  7. Landstra, C., P. & de Koning, E., J., P. (2021). COVID-19 and Diabetes: Understanding the Interrelationship and Risks for a Severe Course. Frontiers in Endocrinology, 12(2), 9 – 15. https://doi.org/10.3389/fendo.2021.649525
  8. Duan, L., Wang, Y., Dong, H., Song, C., Zheng, J., Li, J., Li, M., Wang, J., Yang, J., & Xu, J. (2022). The COVID-19 Vaccination Behavior and Correlates in Diabetic Patients: A Health Belief Model Theory-Based Cross-Sectional Study in China, 2021. Vaccines, 10(5), 659. https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines10050659
  9. Mukkawar, R. V., Reddy, H., Rathod, N., Kumar, S. & Acharya, S. (2024). The Long-Term Cardiovascular Impact of COVID-19: Pathophysiology, Clinical Manifestations, and Management. Cureur, 16(8):e66554. doi: 10.7759/cureus.66554.
  10. Wang, S., Zhu, R., Zhang, C., Guo, Y., Lv, M., Zhang, C., Bian, C., Jiang, R., Zhou, W., & Guo, L. (2023). Effects of the pre-existing coronary heart disease on the prognosis of COVID-19 patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis. PloS one, 18(10), e0292021. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0292021
  11. Sarin, S. K., Choudhury, A., Lau, G. K., Zheng, M. H., Ji, D., & Abd-Elsalam, S. (2020). Pre-existing liver disease is associated with poor outcome in patients with SARS CoV2 infection; The APCOLIS Study. Hepatol Int,14:690–700. https://doi: 10.1007/s12072-020-10072-8
  12. Luo, M., Ballester, M. P., Soffientini, U., Jalan, R. & Mehta, G. (2022). SARS-COV-2 Infection and Liver Involvement. Hepatology International, 16(1), 755 – 774. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12072-022-10364-1
  13. Cheung, C. K. M., Law, K. W. T., Law, A. W. H., Law, M. F., Ho, R., & Wong, S. H. (2023). Efficacy of Vaccine Protection Against COVID-19 Virus Infection in Patients with Chronic Liver Diseases. Journal of clinical and translational hepatology, 11(3), 718–735. https://doi.org/10.14218/JCTH.2022.00339
  14. Kanda, T., Sasaki, R., Masuzaki, R., Takahashi, H., Mizutani, T., Matsumoto, N., Nirei, K., & Moriyama, M. (2020). Co-Occurrence of Hepatitis A Infection and Chronic Liver Disease. International journal of molecular sciences, 21(17), 6384. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms21176384

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