Key Takeaways

Getting ashingles vaccinemay do more than just prevent you from getting the illness. New research out of Victoria University of Wellington in New Zealand found that getting theshinglesshot can reduce the risk of stroke and heart attack from the viral infection.

The findings, published in journalNature Communications,followed the health outcomes of nearly 280,000 participants—mostly aged 70 and older—who rolled up their sleeves for the vaccine. The researchers found that those who had received the shingles vaccine had lower rates of heart attack and stroke from the viral infection compared to those who were unvaccinated.

What Does Shingles Look Like?

What’s more, the infection is associated with an increased risk of having a stroke or heart attack in the first month after the varicella zoster virus is reactivated. The researchers wrote that the risk of stroke is up to two to three times higher if the virus reoccurs in theophthalmic nerve.

“If the vaccine is effective against shingles, it means that indirectly, it protects against stroke and myocardial infarction,”James Mbinta, MD, MPH, a research fellow at the School of Health at Victoria University of Wellington and co-author of the research, told Verywell.

Why Shingles Is Associated With Heart Attack and Stroke

Alon Gitig, MD, the director of cardiology for Mount Sinai Doctors Westchester, told Verywell that while it is unknown exactly why shingles is associated with heart attack and stroke, inflammation might have something to do with it.

He said that any acute illness, like shingles, can create a heightened inflammatory state in the body. And ifthatinflammation triggers inflammation within the walls of arteries, it can lead to destabilizing existing plaques and result in clotting.

Aheart attackhappens when the flow of blood that brings oxygen to the heart muscle becomes blocked.In most cases, it occurs when an atherosclerotic plaque—a build-up of lipids and other substances in the artery—in the wall of a coronary artery breaks off and causes a blood clot to form, blocking an artery in the heart muscle.Whilestrokescan occur in different ways, the most common is an ischemic stroke. This is when a blood clot travels to the brain and interrupts blood flow and deprives the brain of oxygen.

Aheart attackhappens when the flow of blood that brings oxygen to the heart muscle becomes blocked.In most cases, it occurs when an atherosclerotic plaque—a build-up of lipids and other substances in the artery—in the wall of a coronary artery breaks off and causes a blood clot to form, blocking an artery in the heart muscle.

Whilestrokescan occur in different ways, the most common is an ischemic stroke. This is when a blood clot travels to the brain and interrupts blood flow and deprives the brain of oxygen.

Gitig said the varicella zoster virus likely travels into artery walls via nerve fibers. If viral reactivation can be prevented in the nerves with a vaccine, it can potentially be kept from spreading to vascular tissue.

Research shows that having shingles is associated with an increased chance of heart attack or stroke, making vaccination important.

One 2022 study out of Brigham and Women’s Hospital found that shingles is associated with an almost 30% higher long-term risk of a major cardiovascular event such a stroke or heart attack. Researchers also found that the elevated risk could persist for 12 years or more after having the infection.

“Given the growing number of Americans at risk for this painful and often disabling disease and the availability of an effective vaccine, shingles vaccination could provide a valuable opportunity to reduce the burden of shingles and reduce the risk of subsequent cardiovascular complications,” Sharon Curhan, MD, ScM, a physician and epidemiologist in the Channing Division of Network Medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, said in a statement about the study last year.

What Does Shingles Feel Like?

Who Is the Shingles Vaccine For?

The CDC recommends that patients 50 and older get two doses of the vaccine, calledShingrix, to prevent shingles and related complications.The main contraindications for the recombinant shingles vaccine is a history of anaphylactic reaction to the vaccine’s ingredients, Gitig said.

Mbinta said the shot is safe for someone with a history of heart disease and stroke.

“The vaccine is effective even for those with heart disease, those with kidney disease, those with obstructive pulmonary disease and people with stroke,” he said. “So even for those who have had a stroke, taking the vaccine is helpful.”

Gitig echoed this and said there are no current known reasons to skip the shingles shot based on prior cardiovascular diseases.

“If the findings in the present study are replicated in additional research, then there would be a compelling argument for shingles vaccination in these patients, to prevent future heart attack or stroke,” he said.

What This Means For YouGetting the shingles vaccine can help reduce the chance of heart attack or stroke from the virus, research shows. Experts say that even for people with a history of such events, getting vaccinated is important and can help prevent adverse health outcomes.

What This Means For You

Getting the shingles vaccine can help reduce the chance of heart attack or stroke from the virus, research shows. Experts say that even for people with a history of such events, getting vaccinated is important and can help prevent adverse health outcomes.

7 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Mbinta, JF., Wang, AX., Nguyen, BP, et al.Herpes zoster vaccine safety in the Aotearoa New Zealand population: a self-controlled case series study.Nat Commun.2023;14(1):4330. doi:10.1038/s41467-023-39595-yCenters for Disease Control and Prevention.Shingles (herpes zoster): signs and symptoms.Victoria University of Wellington.Shingles vaccine reduces risk of stroke and heart attack from virus, study suggests.National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.What is a heart attack?.Curhan SG, Kawai K, Yawn B, Rexrode KM, Rimm EB, Curhan GC.Herpes zoster and long‐term risk of cardiovascular disease.J Am Heart Assoc. 2022;11(23):e027451. doi:10.1161/JAHA.122.027451Brigham and Women’s Hospital.Shingles associated with increased risk for stroke, heart attack.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Shingles (herpes zoster): vaccination.

7 Sources

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Mbinta, JF., Wang, AX., Nguyen, BP, et al.Herpes zoster vaccine safety in the Aotearoa New Zealand population: a self-controlled case series study.Nat Commun.2023;14(1):4330. doi:10.1038/s41467-023-39595-yCenters for Disease Control and Prevention.Shingles (herpes zoster): signs and symptoms.Victoria University of Wellington.Shingles vaccine reduces risk of stroke and heart attack from virus, study suggests.National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.What is a heart attack?.Curhan SG, Kawai K, Yawn B, Rexrode KM, Rimm EB, Curhan GC.Herpes zoster and long‐term risk of cardiovascular disease.J Am Heart Assoc. 2022;11(23):e027451. doi:10.1161/JAHA.122.027451Brigham and Women’s Hospital.Shingles associated with increased risk for stroke, heart attack.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Shingles (herpes zoster): vaccination.

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Mbinta, JF., Wang, AX., Nguyen, BP, et al.Herpes zoster vaccine safety in the Aotearoa New Zealand population: a self-controlled case series study.Nat Commun.2023;14(1):4330. doi:10.1038/s41467-023-39595-yCenters for Disease Control and Prevention.Shingles (herpes zoster): signs and symptoms.Victoria University of Wellington.Shingles vaccine reduces risk of stroke and heart attack from virus, study suggests.National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.What is a heart attack?.Curhan SG, Kawai K, Yawn B, Rexrode KM, Rimm EB, Curhan GC.Herpes zoster and long‐term risk of cardiovascular disease.J Am Heart Assoc. 2022;11(23):e027451. doi:10.1161/JAHA.122.027451Brigham and Women’s Hospital.Shingles associated with increased risk for stroke, heart attack.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Shingles (herpes zoster): vaccination.

Mbinta, JF., Wang, AX., Nguyen, BP, et al.Herpes zoster vaccine safety in the Aotearoa New Zealand population: a self-controlled case series study.Nat Commun.2023;14(1):4330. doi:10.1038/s41467-023-39595-y

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Shingles (herpes zoster): signs and symptoms.

Victoria University of Wellington.Shingles vaccine reduces risk of stroke and heart attack from virus, study suggests.

National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.What is a heart attack?.

Curhan SG, Kawai K, Yawn B, Rexrode KM, Rimm EB, Curhan GC.Herpes zoster and long‐term risk of cardiovascular disease.J Am Heart Assoc. 2022;11(23):e027451. doi:10.1161/JAHA.122.027451

Brigham and Women’s Hospital.Shingles associated with increased risk for stroke, heart attack.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Shingles (herpes zoster): vaccination.

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