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Shingles is a painful and serious condition affecting many older people. It is caused by the herpes zoster virus, which can flare up in people who previously had chickenpox. A vaccine against shingles (Zostavax) was introduced in 2006. In many countries, including the U.K. and U.S., Zostavax has now been withdrawn and replaced by a much more effective recombinant vaccine (Shingrix). In the U.K., Shingrix is being offered by the NHS to all older people and certain other groups.

edited by Lisa Lock , reviewed by Robert Egan

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Several studies have suggested that vaccinated people may have a lower risk of cardiovascular disease. However, these studies compared vaccinated and unvaccinated people, and their conclusions may therefore be biased because people who choose to be vaccinated differ from those who don't.

For a new study, published in Nature Medicine , researchers at the University of Oxford and NIHR BRC: Oxford Health used the U.S. TriNetX electronic health records network. In the U.S., there was a switchover between Zostavax and Shingrix in October 2017. This allowed the researchers to compare the risk of cardiovascular events over the following seven years in adults ages 60 and older who were vaccinated with Shingrix with otherwise similar people who had received Zostavax. More than 36,000 people, matched for their characteristics, were in each group.

Shingrix was associated with a 9% lower overall burden of cardiovascular disease than Zostavax, including a 10% reduction in ischemic heart disease and a 12% reduction in heart failure. Men who received Shingrix also had a 12% lower risk of stroke, and there was a 7% reduction in atrial fibrillation (irregular heart rhythm). The beneficial effects were present in both sexes and were strongest in the years soon after vaccination.