The list of potential benefits of the shingles vaccine continues to grow.
Beyond protecting against the viral infection
and resulting painful rash, the shot has also been linked to a reduced
risk of dementia, as Fox News Digital previously reported.
And now, a new study has found that the vaccine could lower the risk of heart disease for up to eight years.
Dementia Risk Could Dip With Common Vaccine, Study Suggests
In
the long-running study, researchers analyzed up to 12 years of data for
more than 1.2 million people aged 50 or older in South Korea, focusing
on shingles vaccination rates and 18 different types of cardiovascular disease.
They found that those who received the shingles vaccine had a 23% lower risk of heart issues, including stroke, heart failure and coronary artery disease.
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The
benefits were greater for people under 60 years old, likely because
they have a better immune response, according to the researchers.
Blood Pressure And Dementia Risk Share Surprising Link, Study Suggests
The
vaccine’s heart health benefits were also more prominent among men and
those who have unhealthy behaviors, such as being sedentary, drinking alcohol and smoking.
The findings were published in the European Heart Journal on Tuesday.
The primary symptom of shingles is a painful rash that can lead to serious complications, particularly for older adults
and those with weak immune systems, according to lead author Professor
Dong Keon Yon from the Kyung Hee University College of Medicine, Seoul,
South Korea.
Without vaccination, about 30% of people may develop shingles in their lifetime, Yon noted.
“In
addition to the rash, shingles has been linked to a higher risk of
heart problems, so we wanted to find out if getting vaccinated could
lower this risk,” he said in a press 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.”
who received the shingles vaccine had a 23% lower risk of heart issues,
including stroke, heart failure and coronary artery disease.
The researchers shared several possible reasons for the vaccine’s protective effect on heart health.
“A
shingles infection can cause blood vessel damage, inflammation and clot
formation that can lead to heart disease,” Yon said. “By preventing
shingles, vaccination may lower these risks.”
Dr. Jasdeep
Dalawari, a Virginia-based interventional cardiologist and regional
chief medical officer at VitalSolution, an Ingenovis Health company, was
not involved in the study but offered his comments on the findings.
“This result is notable but requires careful interpretation, especially for the U.S. population,” he told Fox News Digital.
“The
study used a live vaccine, whereas the U.S. uses Shingrix, a
recombinant (non-live) vaccine,” Dalawari noted. “It’s important to note
that Shingrix is over 90% effective against shingles, compared to the
live vaccine’s 51%.”
The live zoster vaccine contains a weakened form of the varicella zoster virus that causes shingles.
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The
cardiologist also pointed out that the observational study shows
correlation, not causation, and that further research is needed.
“The
study included 1.2 million individuals aged 50+, all from one
ethnicity,” he said. “Expanding the participant pool to include diverse
ethnicities would be beneficial in our multi-ethnic society.”
shingles infection can cause blood vessel damage, inflammation and clot
formation that can lead to heart disease,” the researcher said.
Although the study did consider other health conditions, lifestyle factors and socioeconomic status, the researchers agreed that it had some limitations.
“As
this study is based on an Asian cohort, the results may not apply to
all populations,” Yon noted. “While we conducted rigorous analysis, this
study does not establish a direct causal relationship, so potential
bias from other underlying factors should be considered.”
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The
team plans to conduct further research into the heart health benefits
of the non-live, recombinant vaccine, which contains a protein from the
virus.
Original article source: Shingles vaccine has unexpected effect on heart health
