How to identify your patients at risk of influenza complications

There are a number of PenCat recipes available to practices to assist them in identifying their patients who have a higher risk of experiencing a serious case of influenza (flu). It is important for these patients to get their flu shot each year to protect themselves against the flu.

People at highest risk of being hospitalised with flu are:

  • babies
  • people more than 65 years old
  • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
  • pregnant women
  • people with long-term medical conditions
  • people who have weakened immune systems
  • people who are obese
  • people who smoke
  • people who haven’t been vaccinated against the flu.

 

Long-term medical conditions that can lead to an individual having a serious case of the flu include:

  • heart disease
  • lung disease
  • nervous system conditions like multiple sclerosis
  • liver and kidney disease
  • diabetes
  • blood diseases.

 

Available influenza related PenCat recipes are available below:

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