According to a pair of studies published online in the Journal of Infectious Disease, statins—a class of drugs widely used to reduce cholesterol in older adults—may reduce the response to and effectiveness of influenza vaccinations.
Per Dr. Black and his colleagues, "Apparently statins interfere with the response to influenza vaccine and lower the immune response. This would seem to also result in a lower effectiveness of influenza vaccines." The effect was most dramatic in patients on synthetic (as opposed to natural, fermentation-derived) statin treatment regimens.
Implications for Senior Care
What does this mean for you as the caregiver? We should take a step back as we approach the 2016 flu vaccination season and evaluate our current practices. Statins are medications that, when used appropriately, have a huge impact on cholesterol levels. However, statins are also notorious for adverse drug reactions such as muscle weakness.
Consider meeting with your medical director, attending physicians, and QAPI committee in the next few weeks to discuss these findings and develop a plan. Here are some possibilities:
- Review the medication regimen for each resident
- Identify those residents with medication orders for statins
- Request that the attending physician do a risk/benefit analysis on holding the statin medications for a period of time prior to and post immunization
- Educate residents and family members on the risks associated with maintaining statin use during the immunization period
- If the statin medications are held for a period of time, be sure the stop and start dates are clearly documented by the physician and updated on the MAR
- If statin medications are not being held, educate the residents and family members on the efficacy of the flu vaccine and the possibility that it may not be as effective
- Document, document, document throughout the QAPI process and be sure each resident record reflects the decision process
Take Necessary Precautions with the Flu
Remember: the flu kills, period. The frail and elderly population are at the highest risk for negative outcomes related to influenza. Be judicious in the evaluation process, and include the appropriate team members. If a statin medication is continued, it doesn’t mean the flu immunization should be held. On the contrary, every little bit helps. Although the efficacy may be decreased by the statin medication, that doesn’t mean the resident won’t realize some benefit from receiving it.
As always, should you have any questions or need additional assistance, please contact your Evolucent risk manager. Be safe and healthy!
Next Steps
- Read the original article in the Journal of Infectious Disease
- Find out how QA Reader helps improve quality of care
- See QA Reader in action — request a live demo
