Every year i have my 96 yr-old mother vaccinated against influenza. however, it is always possible that she could contract influenza before then. can influenza be sufficient to kill an elderly person by itself or is it only if it leads to pneumonia?

Dangers of influenza: Certainly influenza can kill - actually 90% of the mortality is in those patients older than 65. That's because as we age, the body gets weaker (in all respects, including the immune system-we call this immunosenescence). The 'flu' can lead to a heart attack (from viral sepsis), primary or secondary pneumonia as you reference, plus other complications including stroke. Get HIGH DOSE vaccine 4 mom.

Influenza: The typical way influenza causes demise is because it causes a pneumonia this can be a secondary infection or do to the influenza itself. Essentially it is the respiratory distress and lack of oxygen that causes the problem.