In a medical breakthrough with far-reaching implications, a major new study has revealed that the common shingles vaccine does far more than protect against the painful viral infection—it could also be a powerful shield for the heart.
Research led by a team from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, published in the journal Heart, has uncovered a stunning secondary benefit of the Zostavax vaccine. Analysing the health records of over 200,000 UK adults aged 65 to 85, researchers discovered that those who received the jab were significantly less likely to suffer a major cardiovascular event.
A Striking Reduction in Risk
The findings are compelling. The study concluded that vaccination was associated with a:
- 17% lower risk of suffering a stroke
- 14% lower risk of developing coronary heart disease
- 9% lower risk of dying from any cardiovascular cause
This protective effect was observed for at least seven years after vaccination, suggesting a long-lasting benefit beyond its intended purpose.
The Hidden Link Between Virus and Vessels
So how does a vaccine designed for shingles protect the heart? The answer lies in the varicella-zoster virus itself, which causes chickenpox and later, shingles.
Professor Sinéad Langan, a senior author on the study, explains: "The same virus that reactivates to cause shingles can also linger in the blood vessels. This can trigger chronic inflammation and damage the vascular lining, which is a known driver of stroke and heart disease."
By preventing the virus from reactivating, the vaccine effectively halts this cycle of inflammation and vascular damage, providing an unexpected yet vital layer of protection for an ageing cardiovascular system.
A New Perspective on Preventive Care
This research powerfully underscores the multifaceted benefits of vaccination. For older adults, who are most vulnerable to both shingles and cardiovascular disease, this dual protection could be life-changing.
While the Zostavax vaccine has now been largely replaced by a more effective shingles vaccine, Shingrix, in the UK's NHS programme, this study opens a new frontier in preventive medicine. It suggests that the cardiovascular benefits observed could potentially extend to other vaccines that prevent viral infections linked to inflammation.
The research team emphasises that these findings should encourage even greater uptake of vaccination programmes, not just as a defence against immediate illness, but as a long-term investment in overall health and wellbeing.
