The American College of Cardiology has issued Concise Clinical Guidance (CCG) recommending vaccines to protect adults with heart disease against respiratory illness, including influenza, COVID-19 and RSV, and other diseases where vaccination is shown to offer cardiovascular protective benefits. The guidance also provides detailed evidence for each vaccine recommendation and answers to frequently asked questions to guide conversations between clinicians and patients.
“Vaccination against communicable respiratory diseases and other serious diseases is critical for people with heart disease, but barriers exist to ensuring people are educated on which vaccines to get, how often to get them and why they are important,” said Paul Heidenreich, MD, FACC, chair of the CCG writing committee. “With this document, we want to encourage clinicians to have these conversations and help their patients manage vaccination as part of a standard prevention and treatment plan.”
People with heart disease have a higher risk of infection when exposed to a respiratory virus and a higher risk of adverse outcomes, including hospitalization and death. Studies have shown that vaccines are highly effective in reducing these risks; however, a recent study showed only 30% of primary care physicians are assessing their patients’ vaccination status at clinic visits.
The ACC issued this CCG to consolidate vaccine-specific recommendations made by ACC/American Heart Association guidelines and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The guidance mainly focuses on respiratory vaccines but also offers guidance based on emerging evidence that other vaccines—such as the herpes zoster (shingles) vaccine—may offer cardiovascular protective benefits.
Vaccine specific guidance includes:
The document outlines strategies to improve vaccination rates, address hesitancy and overcome barriers to access, noting that clinician-patient discussions about vaccination during cardiology visits can be an important opportunity to integrate vaccination into a cardiovascular care plan.
“2025 Concise Clinical Guidance: An ACC Expert Consensus Statement on Adult Immunizations as Part of Cardiovascular Care” will publish in JACC , the flagship journal of the ACC, on Aug. 26, 2025.
For an embargoed copy, contact ACC director of media relations Nicole Napoli at nnapoli@acc.org .
The American College of Cardiology (ACC) is a global leader dedicated to transforming cardiovascular care and improving heart health for all. For more than 75 years, the ACC has empowered a community of over 60,000 cardiovascular professionals across more than 140 countries with cutting-edge education and advocacy, rigorous professional credentials, and trusted clinical guidance. From its world-class JACC Journals and NCDR registries to its Accreditation Services, global network of Chapters and Sections, and CardioSmart patient initiatives, the College is committed to creating a world where science, knowledge and innovation optimize patient care and outcomes. Learn more at www.ACC.org or connect on social media at @ACCinTouch.
The ACC’s JACC Journals rank among the top cardiovascular journals in the world for scientific impact. The flagship journal, the Journal of the American College of Cardiology ( JACC) — and specialty journals consisting of JACC: Advances, JACC: Asia, JACC: Basic to Translational Science, JACC: CardioOncology, JACC: Cardiovascular Imaging , JACC: Cardiovascular Interventions , JACC: Case Reports, JACC: Clinical Electrophysiology and JACC: Heart Failure — pride themselves on publishing the top peer-reviewed research on all aspects of cardiovascular disease. Learn more at JACC .org .
###
Journal of the American College of Cardiology