Shingles vaccine could protect heart health, study finds

Receiving the shingles vaccine can lower the risk of health issues like stroke, heart failure, and heart disease by 23%, researchers shared in the European Heart Journal on Tuesday.

A recent study indicates that the advantages of the shingles vaccine go beyond shielding older individuals from the painful skin condition. Those who receive the shingles shot have a 23% reduced risk of health problems such as stroke, heart failure, and heart disease, as outlined by researchers in the European Heart Journal this past Tuesday. These protective effects are observed to last for at least eight years.

Dong Keon, a senior researcher and assistant professor at Kyung Hee University College of Medicine in Seoul, South Korea, mentioned in a news release, “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.”

Shingles is a condition that arises in individuals who had a prior chickenpox infection. The chickenpox virus, known as herpes zoster, remains dormant in nerve cells for years and can reactivate to cause the painful rash associated with shingles.

The study monitored the health of around 1.3 million South Koreans aged 50 and above between 2012 and 2021. Half of the participants had been vaccinated against shingles.

Results showed that those who received the vaccine had a 23% lower risk of heart health issues overall, a 26% lower risk of stroke, heart attack, or death from heart disease, a 26% lower risk of heart failure, and a 22% lower risk of heart disease.

The researchers highlighted that the shingles vaccine could help decrease heart disease risk due to the damage, inflammation, and clot formation caused by a shingles infection. Particularly, men, individuals under 60, and those leading unhealthy lifestyles can benefit from the heart-health protection provided by the shingles vaccine.

Nevertheless, further research is necessary as the current study focused on Asian individuals and may not be universally applicable. The live zoster vaccine examined in the research, formerly known as Zostavax, is no longer available in the United States. The CDC now recommends the two-dose Shingrix shingle vaccine for individuals aged 50 and above.