A groundbreaking study involving over 1.2 million people has uncovered significant heart health benefits from the shingles vaccine. Researchers found the vaccine can reduce cardiovascular event risks by 23% over eight years, with stronger protection for men and younger adults. The live zoster vaccine not only prevents painful shingles infection but also appears to protect blood vessels from inflammation and clot formation. These findings suggest vaccination could offer critical preventive health advantages beyond traditional expectations.
May 07, 2025
Shingles vaccine can protect heart health up to 8 years: Study
"The
shingles vaccine may help lower the risk of heart disease" - Prof. Dong
Keon Yon
People
who are given a vaccine for shingles -- zoster vaccine -- have a 23 per cent
lower risk of cardiovascular events, including stroke, heart failure, and
coronary heart disease, according to a study of more than a million people.
Key
Points
1 Vaccine reduces cardiovascular events by 23% in
large Korean study
2 Protection most effective for men and younger
adults
3 Weakened virus vaccine provides unexpected heart
benefits
4 Long-term cardiovascular protection up to eight
years
The
live zoster vaccine contains a weakened form of the varicella-zoster virus that
causes shingles.
Shingles
is a viral infection that causes a painful rash. It has also been linked to a
higher risk of heart problems.
The
condition can lead to serious complications, especially in older adults and
those with weak immune systems.
The
study showed that protective effect of the vaccine lasts for up to eight years
and is particularly pronounced for men, people under the age of 60, and those
with unhealthy lifestyles, such as smoking, drinking alcohol, and being
inactive.
"Our
study suggests that the shingles vaccine may help lower the risk of heart
disease, even in people without known risk factors. This means that vaccination
could offer health benefits beyond preventing shingles," said Professor
Dong Keon Yon from the Kyung Hee University College of Medicine in Seoul, South
Korea.
The
study included 1,271,922 people aged 50 or older living in South Korea.
The
findings showed that among people who received the vaccine, there was a 23 per
cent lower risk of cardiovascular events overall, with a 26 per cent lower risk
of major cardiovascular events (a stroke, heart attack, or death from heart
disease), a 26 per cent lower risk of heart failure and a 22 per cent lower
risk of coronary heart disease.
Yon
explained that shingles infection can damage blood vessels, and cause
inflammation and clot formation that can lead to heart disease. But vaccination
may lower these risks.
“Our
study found stronger benefits in younger people, probably due to a better
immune response, and in men, possibly due to differences in vaccine
effectiveness,” the researcher said.
Previous
research shows that, without vaccination, about 30 per cent of people may
develop shingles in their lifetime.
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