Seasonal influenza, or the flu, is an acute viral infection caused by influenza viruses that mainly affects the respiratory system. It can cause illnesses ranging from mild to severe and even lead to hospitalization or death in some cases. While most healthy people recover within a week, those at high risk like people with heart disease are more likely to experience severe illness. Regular flu vaccination is especially important for high-risk groups since influenza can exacerbate heart conditions and even trigger heart attacks. A recent study found that getting the flu shot reduced the risk of heart attacks and deaths in heart failure patients.