What is CDC doing to respond to reports of cardiac-related events?
CDC recommends, as a precautionary measure, that people who have been diagnosed by a doctor as having a heart condition with or without symptoms should not get the smallpox vaccine at this time while experts continue their investigation. This would include conditions such as previous myocardial infarction (heart attack), angina (chest pain caused by a 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. In addition, individuals who have 3 or more of 5 specific risk factors are being told to defer vaccination for the time being. These risk factors are: high blood pressure diagnosed by a doctor; high blood cholesterol diagnosed by a doctor; diabetes or high blood sugar diagnosed by a doctor; a first degree relative (for exam
