University Health System Blog

Dr. Kate Martin answers the question: “Are flu vaccines safe for me if I’m allergic to eggs?

If you have had a severe allergic reaction to eggs, such as difficulty breathing or swallowing, then you should not get a flu shot.

The explanation for this comes from the process in which the influenza vaccine is made. The actual viruses used for the flu shot are initially grown in eggs. These viruses are later inactivated, or killed, so you cannot actually get the flu from the influenza vaccine. However, as the origin from eggs never goes away, anyone with a severe egg allergy should not receive the flu vaccine.

Kate Martin, M.D. is an assistant professor of family and community medicine at the University of Nevada School of Medicine in Las Vegas. She practices at the Family Medicine Clinic.

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Dr. Kate Martin answers the question: Should healthy kids be vaccinated for the flu?

Absolutely.

Healthy children aged 6 months through 19 years of age should be vaccinated against the seasonal flu and those aged 6 months through 24 years of age should receive the H1N1 influenza virus vaccine.

Also individuals who live with or provide care for infants younger than 6 months of age, such as parents, siblings and daycare providers, should get vaccinated against both forms of the flu. This helps provide protection to those who are too young to be vaccinated.

The seasonal flu shot has been readily available for some time and the H1N1 vaccine has recently begun distribution throughout communities.

Once either flu vaccine is administered, it takes about two weeks to develop immune protection against the influenza virus.

Kate Martin, M.D. is an assistant professor of family and community medicine at the University of Nevada School of Medicine in Las Vegas. She practices at the Family Medicine Clinic.

Have a health question? University Health System doctors answer select questions from readers like you.

Dr. Kate Martin answers the question: “What’s the significance of the spread between systolic and diastolic blood pressure readings?”

Blood pressure is measured through systolic and diastolic readings. An example of a normal value is 120 mmHg and 80 mmHg, often said as 120 over 80 and written as 120/80.

The numerator, which is the systolic value, is the peak arterial pressure reached when the heart muscle contracts.

The diastolic pressure, the denominator, is the residual amount of pressure in the arteries when the heart muscle relaxes.

The difference between the systolic and diastolic pressures is known as the pulse pressure.

The average person has a resting pulse pressure of 40 mmHg. This can become transiently elevated with exercise due to increased demands on the heart and blood vessels but returns to normal about ten minutes afterwards.

Persistently high or low pulse pressure can have serious health implications, however.

Most often encountered in situations of trauma to the chest or abdomen, a low or narrow pulse pressure usually indicates there has been a significant amount of blood loss. Other situations that can also cause low pulse pressure include congestive heart failure and aortic stenosis, in which there is a narrowing of blood flow through one of the major heart valves. In these circumstances, pulse pressure is often as low as 25 mmHg.

A common cause of consistently elevated pulse pressure is stiffness of one of the major arteries, such as the aorta. This may be the result of fatty deposits along walls of the arteries, known as arteriosclerosis, or a leaky heart valve. Other conditions that may cause this include hyperthyroidism, anemia and abnormal connections of arteries with veins called arteriovenous malformations. In general, a pulse pressure greater than 60 mmHg is considered abnormally elevated or widened.

Recent research has indicated high pulse pressure is a risk factor for the development of heart disease and arrhythmias. Treating high blood pressure usually helps reduce pulse pressure as well.

Kate Martin, M.D. is an assistant professor of family and community medicine at the University of Nevada School of Medicine in Las Vegas. She practices at the Family Medicine Clinic.

Have a health question? University Health System doctors answer select questions from readers like you.