A new study suggests that the shingles vaccine may offer more than rash protection—it could cut the risk of serious heart problems for up to 8 years.
According to the large study from South Korea, people who have been vaccinated against shingles have a 23% lower risk of cardiovascular conditions — with the risk for heart attacks being 22% lower and heart failure 26% lower, according to a large study from South Korea.
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Researchers from the Kyung Hee University College of Medicine in Seoul, South Korea, examined health data from over 1.27 million individuals aged 50 and above. The reduced risk was most noticeable among males, people under 60, and even those with “unhealthy lifestyles”, such as chronic smoking or drinking.
“A shingles infection can cause blood vessel damage, inflammation and clot formation that can lead to heart disease. By preventing shingles, 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,” Professor Dong Keon Yon, Kyung Hee University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea, said. The vaccine may be better at preventing shingles in younger patients and males because of their immune systems and vaccine effectiveness, Lee said.
Shingles is a painful skin rash caused by the reactivation of the varicella-zoster virus—the same virus that causes chickenpox. There are currently two approved shingles vaccines globally: one uses a live, weakened virus, while the other uses recombinant technology to safely mimic parts of the virus without causing illness. A live zoster vaccine was used for the study.
Past studies have indicated that the vaccine lowers the risk for dementia as well as heart conditions such as heart attack and stroke.
