A new study has revealed some surprising new facts about the shingles vaccine and its possible cardiovascular benefits. The study was performed by the researchers at Kyung Hee University Medical Center in Seoul, South Korea. It just as importantly proves that adults 50 years or older who get the shingles vaccine can reduce their risk of heart disease for up to eight years. That makes this study unique and one of the most comprehensive of its type. It followed a positive nationally representative population for an average of 12 years.
Studies also find people vaccinated for shingles were 23% less likely to experience cardiovascular events. This includes life-threatening diseases such as heart failure, stroke and coronary heart disease. Sooji Lee, MD, the study’s first author, marveled at just how effective the shingles vaccine turned out to be. It provides over 90% protection against getting shingles. In addition, the study points out that the best protection is seen in the first two to three years after vaccination.
Dr. Lee noted, “Shingles has traditionally been regarded as an infectious disease. Previous studies suggested an association between shingles and chronic conditions such as cardiovascular disease. This points to a potential link between infections and chronic diseases.”
The new analysis showed that the shingles vaccine reduces the risk of incident heart failure by 26%. It further reduces the risk of coronary heart disease by 22%. Dong Keon Yon, MD, PhD, who contributed to the research, stated, “For the first time, this has allowed us to examine the association between shingles vaccination and 18 different types of cardiovascular disease. We were able to account for various other health conditions, lifestyle factors, and socioeconomic status, making our findings more robust.”
The shingles vaccine does this more directly by actively preventing inflammation in blood vessels. This reduction will be advantageous in lowering the risk of cardiovascular complications. Dr. Cheng-Han Chen, MD FACC, is a board-certified interventional cardiologist and the medical director of the Structural Heart Program at MemorialCare Saddleback Medical Center in Laguna Hills, CA. Here are some of his reflections about what all this means.
Retired epidemiologist Dr. Wei-Chung Chen said the varicella-zoster virus that causes shingles ramps up the inflammation by leaps and bounds. This resulting inflammation wears down blood vessels and accelerates clotting, raising the risk of deadly cardiovascular diseases such as heart attack, stroke, and heart failure. The shingles vaccine, by preventing varicella-zoster infection, would therefore lower cardiovascular risk by preventing the virus’s negative cardiovascular effects.
Among adults vaccinated with the shingles vaccine, these protective benefits are substantial. These benefits can extend for at least eight years post vaccination. In considering the results, Dr. Simons said the scope of risk reduction seen in this study was extraordinary. “The magnitude of the risk reduction (22-26%) across various cardiovascular events is higher than some might have anticipated,” he stated. “This very large study provides stronger evidence and quantifies the potential impact more definitively.”
At the same time, he emphasized that there is still more research to be done to really understand the exact pathways at play in this relationship. “It is important to note that more research is needed to fully elucidate the specific pathways involved,” Dr. Simons added.
The good news is that these combined findings show promise! Most of them are from an Asian cohort, leaving concern about generalizability to non-Asian populations. Dr. Yon warned against drawing sweeping conclusions from this study alone. “As this study is based on an Asian cohort, the results may not apply to all populations,” he noted.
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