Prime Highlights:
- Receiving the shingles vaccine could reduce the risk of heart attack or stroke by up to 20%, according to the first global study analyzing its cardiovascular effects.
- Adults aged 18 and above who received the vaccine experienced an 18% lower risk of stroke or heart attack, while adults 50 and older saw a 16% reduction in cardiovascular events.
Key Facts:
- The study analyzed 19 research papers, including eight observational studies and one randomized controlled trial, assessing the impact of the shingles vaccine on cardiovascular outcomes.
- From September 1, NHS England will expand eligibility for the shingles jab to include 300,000 people aged 18–49 with severely weakened immune systems.
Key Background:
Recent studies point to the evidence that people who have been vaccinated against shingles may experience a decreased risk of heart attack or stroke of up to 20 per cent as a result of the jab, according to the first global study that examines the cardiovascular impact of the shot.
Shingles is a disease that occurs as a result of the reactivation of the herpes zoster virus and is known to cause painful rashes, long-term nerve pain, and, in the worst case, blindness or deafness in its victims. Historically, only older people or those with weakened immunity have been advised to use the vaccination.
The new study, the world’s first global systematic review and meta-analysis on the topic, reveals that the shingles vaccine may offer significant cardiovascular protection. Adults 18 and older who got the shingles vaccine had a lower chance of stroke or heart attack, with those over 50 seeing a slightly smaller reduction.
The analysis combined data from 19 studies, including eight observational studies and one randomized controlled trial, examining the effects of herpes zoster vaccination on cardiovascular outcomes.
Prof. Filippo Crea, cardiology professor at the Catholic University in Rome, noted that the research supports growing evidence that vaccinations may help reduce cardiovascular risk. Prof. Bryan Williams, chief scientific officer at the British Heart Foundation, emphasized that while the results are promising, more studies are needed, particularly to confirm effects in younger adults.
Following the changing research, NHS England declared that 300,000 more individuals, aged 18 to 49 with severely weakened immune systems, will be opened up to receive the shingles vaccine starting on September 1. This growth will keep more people not only shingle-free but also potentially cardiovascular complication-free.
