If you’re living with type 2 diabetes, consider a flu shot this year because this vaccine could be a lifesaver. A recent study conducted by the Imperial College in London found that influenza vaccinations could drastically reduce the likelihood of hospitalization due to respiratory infection or a cardiovascular event among those living with this blood sugar disorder, Healio reports.

According to medical experts, people living with type 2 diabetes—a condition that develops when the body becomes resistant to insulin, the hormone that helps regulate blood sugar levels—are one of the groups at highest risk of influenza-related complications. What’s more, in the past, doctors raised concerns that the flu shot wouldn’t be effective among people with diabetes because their immune systems might respond poorly to the vaccine.

For this latest study, researchers analyzed the health outcomes of more than 124,000 people living with type 2 diabetes who visited their family doctors between 2003 and 2010. Within this cohort (in research terms, this means a group of people linked in some way), between 63 and 69 percent of people reported receiving a flu shot during this time period.

Results showed that those in the study group who were vaccinated experienced substantially lower hospital admission rates for stroke and heart failure. Researchers also saw similar reductions in hospitalizations for pneumonia- or influenza-related complications, as well as in overall mortality among the study participants.

This means despite worries about how effective the flu shot might be for people living with type 2 diabetes, the vaccine proved that it could help this population group stay healthy. “These findings underline the importance of influenza vaccination as part of comprehensive secondary prevention in this high-risk population,” researchers wrote.

To learn more about how flu shots may help prevent heart attacks, click here.