Shingles vaccine shows cardiovascular protection in real-world data

Observational study links Shingrix vaccine to reduced heart attack and stroke risk in US adults aged 60+

A US observational study tracking 70,000 adults aged 60+ found the Shingrix shingles vaccine associated with a 12% lower risk of cardiovascular events—including heart attacks, heart failure, and strokes—within 3.5 years post-vaccination. This effect persisted at 4% lower risk by the 7-year mark. The research compared cardiovascular outcomes before and after the US shifted from Zostavax to Shingrix in 2017, published in *Nature Medicine*. Dr. Maxime Taquet of Oxford noted the effect could prevent hundreds of thousands of heart disease and stroke cases globally if confirmed in clinical trials. However, the study’s observational design means it lacks randomization, and Dr. Hugo Pedder of Bristol emphasized that only a randomized controlled trial would definitively prove the benefit versus live vaccines. Current UK rollout targets ages 65-79 incrementally, not all over-65s. While the effect size is comparable to daily blood pressure medication *if* confirmed, the data remains preliminary. The next critical step is a clinical trial to validate this real-world cardiovascular protection.

Source: Guardian