Most people think of shingles as a painful skin rash, but doctors now know that it can affect much more than the skin.
Shingles is caused by the same virus that causes chickenpox.
After a person recovers from chickenpox, the virus does not completely disappear. Instead, it stays quietly hidden inside nerve cells for many years.
As people get older or their immune system becomes weaker, the virus can become active again.
When this happens, it causes shingles, a condition that is well known for its painful rash and burning nerve pain.
Shingles is especially common in older adults. About one in every three people will develop shingles at some point in their lives, and the risk increases with age.
Besides causing a painful rash, shingles can lead to long-lasting nerve pain that continues for months or even years after the rash has disappeared. In some people, the virus can also affect the eyes, hearing, or facial nerves.
Scientists have also discovered another serious problem. During the first few weeks after shingles develops, the body’s inflammation appears to increase the risk of blood clots and damage to blood vessels.
As a result, the chances of having a heart attack or stroke become higher, especially during the first month after the illness begins. If shingles affects certain nerves in the face, the risk of stroke may become two to three times higher than normal.
Because of these risks, researchers have become increasingly interested in whether the shingles vaccine might provide benefits beyond preventing the rash itself. A new study suggests that it may also help protect the heart and brain.
The research was led by James Mbinta, who wanted to find out whether people were less likely to be hospitalized with heart attacks or strokes after receiving the shingles vaccine.
The team examined health records from 278,375 adults in New Zealand who received the vaccine between 2018 and 2021. Most of the participants were 70 years of age or older, making the study especially important for older adults.
The researchers compared hospital admissions during two different periods. They looked closely at the first 42 days after vaccination and compared that period with a later period. This approach allowed them to see whether the number of heart attacks and strokes changed soon after people received the vaccine.
The results were encouraging. During the first six weeks after vaccination, fewer people were admitted to hospital because of heart attacks or strokes. The findings suggest that the shingles vaccine may reduce the risk of these serious events by almost half during this early period.
Another researcher, Professor Colin Simpson, said the findings agree with results from an earlier Australian study. That research also found that adults aged 70 to 79 who received the shingles vaccine experienced fewer strokes than people who were not vaccinated. When different studies produce similar results, scientists become more confident that the findings may be real.
This is not the first time the shingles vaccine has shown benefits beyond preventing shingles. Earlier research by James Mbinta found that vaccination also lowered the risk of being hospitalized with postherpetic neuralgia, a painful nerve condition that can develop after shingles and may last for months or even years.
Although these findings are promising, researchers say more studies are still needed to understand exactly how the vaccine protects against heart attacks and strokes. It is possible that preventing shingles also prevents the inflammation that increases the risk of blood vessel problems.
Like all vaccines and medicines, the shingles vaccine has benefits and possible side effects. For most older adults, however, the benefits are considered much greater than the risks. Anyone who is unsure whether the vaccine is suitable for them should discuss it with their doctor, particularly if they have other medical conditions.
Overall, this research suggests that the shingles vaccine may do much more than prevent a painful skin disease.
It may also help protect the heart and brain, reduce the risk of serious medical emergencies, and support healthier aging. As scientists continue to learn more, the shingles vaccine could become an even more important part of protecting the health of older adults.
If you care about stroke, please read studies about how to eat to prevent stroke, and diets high in flavonoids could help reduce stroke risk.
For more health information, please see recent studies about how Mediterranean diet could protect your brain health, and wild blueberries can benefit your heart and brain.
