Heart problems could rise along with increased incidences of influenza this year, says a report on WKBN27 Youngstown (Ohio).

“Health experts say there could be an uptick in cases this year as more places are open and less people are wearing masks. Because the flu is a risk factor for heart issues, more people could be dealing with heart problems, too,” says the report.

Shyam Bhakta, M.D., associate professor in the Department of Internal Medicine, told WKBN, “We hope with the greater awareness of heart disease that we’re trying to communicate to our community, we hope that we can kind of offset that. That is something that we’re prepared for and on the lookout for.”

Read the WKBN27 article.