Shingrix shingles vaccine linked with lower heart disease risks
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- Reviewed by Robert H. Shmerling, MD, Senior Faculty Editor, Harvard Health Publishing; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing
Evidence is growing that shingles vaccination may do more than just help prevent painful shingles outbreaks, including lowering risk of dementia and slowing biological aging. Now, a study suggests that the current version of the vaccine may also protect the heart.
In the study, published online Aug. 26, 2026, by Nature Medicine, researchers analyzed health records from more than 72,000 adults ages 60 and older (just over half of them female), comparing those vaccinated before and after the United States switched from the older shingles vaccine (Zostavax) to the newer version (Shingrix) — made from a single viral protein using recombinant DNA technology — in late 2017. Because the switch happened quickly and for reasons unrelated to individual health, it enabled scientists to compare the two vaccines using two closely matched groups.
Over seven years of follow-up, the people who received Shingrix were 9% less likely to develop any of several cardiovascular problems — including ischemic heart disease (caused by reduced blood flow to the heart), heart failure, and ischemic stroke — compared with those who received Zostavax. The protective association was strongest for ischemic heart disease (a 10% lower risk) and heart failure (12% lower), with men also showing a 12% lower risk of ischemic stroke. The benefits appeared to be strongest in the first few years after vaccination.
While the study was observational and cannot prove that the change in vaccine was responsible for the cardiovascular benefits, the researchers suggested an immune-boosting ingredient in Shingrix may have played a role, as it has been linked to heart benefits in other studies. The results add yet another reason for anyone 50 and over to get the two Shingrix shots — which the CDC already recommends even for people who received Zostavax earlier.
Image: © fstop123/Getty Images
About the Author
Joyce Hendley, Staff Writer
About the Reviewer
Robert H. Shmerling, MD, Senior Faculty Editor, Harvard Health Publishing; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing
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