People who are given a vaccine for shingles have a 23% lower risk of cardiovascular events, including stroke, heart failure, and coronary heart disease, according to a study of more than a million people published in the European Heart Journal.

 

The 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.

 

The study was led by Prof Dong Keon Yon from the Kyung Hee University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea. 

 

He said previous research shows that, without vaccination, about 30% of people may develop shingles in their lifetime.

In addition to the rash, shingles has been linked to a higher risk of heart problems.

 

The study included 1,271,922 people aged 50 or older living in South Korea. Researchers gathered data, from 2012 onwards, on whether people received a shingles vaccine and combined this with data on their cardiovascular health and data on other factors that can influence health, such as age, sex, wealth and lifestyle.

 

The vaccine was a live zoster vaccine, meaning it contained a weakened form of the varicella zoster virus that causes shingles. In many countries, this type of vaccine is now being replaced with a non-live, recombinant vaccine, meaning it contains a protein from the varicella zoster virus.

 

The study showed that among people who received the vaccine, there was a 23% lower risk of cardiovascular events overall, with a 26% lower risk of major cardiovascular events, a 26% lower risk of heart failure and a 22% lower risk of coronary heart disease.

 

The protective effect was strongest in the two to three years after the shingles vaccine was given, but researchers found that the protection lasted for up to eight years.

 

The 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.