A large new study has found that a vaccine designed to protect against respiratory syncytial virus, also known as RSV, may also help reduce the risk of serious heart and lung-related hospitalizations in older adults.
The findings offer encouraging news for aging populations, especially for people already living with heart or lung conditions.
The research was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, often called JAMA, and involved more than 130,000 older adults in Denmark.
Scientists found that people who received the RSV vaccine had fewer hospital stays linked to heart and breathing problems compared with those who did not receive the vaccine.
RSV is a common virus that usually causes cold-like symptoms, but it can become much more dangerous for older adults.
In seniors, RSV can lead to pneumonia, severe breathing problems, worsening heart disease, and hospital admission. Doctors have become increasingly concerned about RSV in recent years because it places a heavy burden on hospitals during the winter months.
While many people think of RSV mainly as a lung infection, researchers now understand that it can also affect the heart and blood vessels. Previous studies have shown that RSV infections may increase the risk of heart attacks, heart failure, and other cardiovascular problems, especially in older adults and people with existing health issues.
The new study was led by researchers at Copenhagen University Hospital in Denmark. It focused on a vaccine called the RSV prefusion F protein bivalent vaccine, also known as RSVpreF.
Researchers wanted to find out whether preventing RSV infection could also reduce serious heart and lung complications that often send older people to the hospital.
The study included 131,276 adults aged 60 and older during the 2024–2025 winter season. Participants were randomly divided into two groups. One group received the RSV vaccine, while the other group did not. Researchers then followed both groups to compare their health outcomes.
The average age of participants was nearly 70 years old, and around one in five already had cardiovascular disease before the study began. This made the research especially important because older adults with heart disease are often more vulnerable to severe RSV complications.
The results showed that the vaccine group experienced fewer hospitalizations related to heart and lung conditions overall.
Researchers reported a 9.9% reduction in all-cause cardiorespiratory hospitalizations among vaccinated participants. In simple terms, this means the vaccine appeared to lower the chance of older adults needing hospital care because of serious heart or breathing problems.
The numbers may sound small at first, but researchers said the impact could be significant at the population level. Even a modest reduction in hospital admissions could help protect many older adults while also easing pressure on healthcare systems during busy winter seasons.
The researchers also examined specific cardiovascular outcomes such as stroke, heart attack, heart failure, and irregular heart rhythms. Although the vaccine group showed trends toward lower risks in some of these conditions, the differences were not statistically strong enough to prove a clear benefit for each individual condition.
For example, vaccinated participants appeared to have a lower rate of stroke compared with the unvaccinated group, but researchers said more studies would be needed to confirm whether the vaccine directly reduces stroke risk.
Even so, scientists believe the findings are important because they show that preventing respiratory infections may also help reduce broader health complications in older adults. Severe infections often place extra stress on the heart and lungs, especially in aging bodies. By lowering the risk of RSV illness, vaccines may indirectly help prevent other serious medical problems.
Experts say the study supports growing efforts to expand RSV vaccination programs for older adults. Public health officials have already been encouraging seniors to receive vaccines against influenza, COVID-19, and pneumonia. RSV vaccines may soon become another important tool for protecting older populations.
Researchers also noted that preventing hospitalization is especially valuable for seniors because hospital stays can sometimes lead to additional complications such as reduced mobility, muscle weakness, infections, and loss of independence.
The study does have some limitations. While the findings suggest a link between vaccination and reduced hospitalization risk, researchers said more work is needed to fully understand how RSV vaccination affects long-term cardiovascular health. Future studies may also help identify which groups benefit the most from vaccination.
Still, the results provide hopeful evidence that RSV vaccines may offer benefits beyond simply preventing infection. For older adults, especially those already living with heart or lung disease, the vaccine could become an important way to stay healthier and avoid serious hospital visits.
As researchers continue studying RSV and aging, this large study adds to growing evidence that protecting against respiratory viruses may also help protect the heart and lungs in unexpected ways.
If you care about heart health, please read studies about top foods to love for a stronger heart, and why oranges may help fight obesity, diabetes, and heart disease.
For more health information, please see recent studies about simple guide to a 7-day diabetes meal plan, and why you should add black beans to your plate.
The study was published in JAMA.
