The newspaper claimed that having the winter flu jab may reduce the risk of heart attack by 1/5. In a study the heart attack rates of 79000 people who had the vaccination was compared to those who hadn't. The rate for heart attacks may have been lower for those who had the vaccine becasue it stopped them from getting chest infections which could lead to heart attacks.
Although the study was well conducted and had a large sample size, the results can not conclude that the flu jab decreases the risk of having a heart attack. It does show that there is a correlation however it doesn't show whether one causes the other. The scientists chose a matched pairs design so the participants in both conditions can be compared.
They tried to control lifestyle factors of the participants is likely to affect their risk of heart attack; for example someone who doesn't exercise, smokes and has a poor diet is at greater risk that of someone who has a healthier lifestyle. This made the research more valid, however there were still some factors which could be confounding variables, e.g. those who have the vaccine are more likely to have visited a doctor who could influence their way of living.
More research will have to be carried out before this theory can be accepted, as the results are inconclusive of whether there is a direct link between the vaccination and the risk of heart attacks.
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