Leading international health authorities and their affiliated medical associations now recommend age-appropriate influenza vaccination, reflecting a global consensus shaped by robust clinical evidence.
The better protection of HD over conventional SD influenza vaccines is acknowledged by more and more scientific societies
The current recommendations for influenza vaccination of adults are as follows6:
An analysis of 2 large, randomized trials in adults aged >65 years found that high-dose influenza vaccine was associated with lower hospitalizations for respiratory disease, CVD, and HF compared with standard-dose vaccine. The relative risk reduction was similar among individuals with and without CVD; however, given the substantially higher baseline risk in those with CVD, the absolute benefit was greater in this group. In a trial reporting outcome by cardiac condition, individuals with HF had a number needed to treat of only 105 with high-dose vs standard-dose influenza vaccine to prevent a hospitalization.
Adult Immunizations as Part of Cardiovascular Care: 2026 ACC Concise Clinical Guidance
Cut of date: May 2025
HD: high-dose; SD: standard-dose; SEGG: Spanish Society of Geriatrics and Gerontology; SFGG: Société Française de Gériatrie et Gérontologie. AIOM: Italian Association of Medical Oncology. References in slide notes.
Cut of date:
May 2025 AAMR: Argentine Association of Respiratory Medicine; ACC, American College of Cardiology; CIQ: Quebec Immunization Committee; HD: high-dose; KSID: Korean Society of Infectious Diseases; SBIM: Sociedade Brasileira de Imunizações; SD: standard-dose References in slide notes.
High-Dose Influenza vaccine (HD-IIV) is recommended by different Gulf Health authorities and medical associations for their older adults co-morbid populations
