Why has CDC advised that people with known cardiac disease not receive the smallpox vaccine?
CDC has received reports of cardiac events following smallpox vaccinations. Although it is unclear whether or not there is any association between smallpox vaccination and these events, CDC recommends, as a precautionary measure, that individuals who have been diagnosed by a doctor as having a heart condition with or without symptoms should not receive smallpox vaccine at this time. These include conditions such as: previous myocardial infarction (heart attack), angina (chest pain caused by lack of blood flow to the heart), congestive heart failure and cardiomyopathy, stroke or transient ischemic attack (a “mini-stroke” that produces stroke-like symptoms but no lasting damage), chest pain or shortness of breath with activity (such as walking up stairs), or other heart conditions being treated by a doctor should not get the vaccine at this time. In addition, individuals who have 3 or more of the following risk factors should not get the vaccine at this time: high blood pressure diagnose
