Shingles vaccination is associated with a 12% lower risk of cardiovascular disease diagnosis in the three and a half years following inoculation, according to a University of Oxford study tracking 70,000 U.S. adults. Scientists say the protective effect of the recombinant vaccine against heart attacks and strokes is comparable to taking daily blood pressure-lowering medication, though researchers caution that randomized controlled trials are still needed to confirm causality.
Cardiovascular Risk Reduction Following Shingles Inoculation
The study, led by Dr. Maxime Taquet, a clinical lecturer at the University of Oxford, analyzed health records of adults aged 60 and over. Researchers utilized the 2017 U.S. transition from the older Zostavax vaccine to the newer Shingrix vaccine to isolate the cardiovascular outcomes. According to the findings published in Nature Medicine, patients who received Shingrix experienced a 12% reduction in cardiovascular events—including heart attacks, heart failure, and strokes—during the first three and a half years after receiving the initial dose and booster. By the end of the full seven-year follow-up tracking period, the associated risk reduction settled at 4%.
“If confirmed in clinical trials, vaccinating older adults against shingles could prevent hundreds of thousands of coronary heart diseases, strokes and cases of heart failure worldwide, making it one of the most impactful interventions we could offer to protect both the brain and the heart in later life,” Taquet said.
Did you know? Shingles is caused by the reactivation of the chickenpox virus, which remains dormant in the body after an earlier infection. Beyond the characteristic painful rash, the virus can trigger prolonged nerve pain known as post-herpetic neuralgia.
Comparing Vaccine Technology Outcomes Across Global Studies
Recent international research provides varied data regarding how different vaccine formulations impact heart health over time. A separate study published in the European Heart Journal by Professor Dong Keon Yon from the Kyung Hee University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea, examined more than a million people aged 50 or older. That study focused on a live zoster vaccine and found a 23% lower risk of overall cardiovascular events, with protection lasting for up to eight years, particularly among men and individuals under 60.
Meanwhile, a global systematic literature review and meta-analysis presented at the 2025 European Society of Cardiology Congress evaluated 19 studies, including eight observational studies and one randomized controlled trial. That broad analysis found that herpes zoster vaccination yielded an 18% vaccine effectiveness rate for adults aged 18 to 49, and 16% for those 50 and older, in preventing cardiovascular events.
Charles Williams, global associate medical director, Global Medical Affairs–Vaccines at vaccine manufacturer GSK, noted that despite the promising correlations, nearly all studies included in the analysis were observational. “Further research studies are now needed to find out whether this association can be attributed to an effect of herpes zoster vaccination,” Williams stated.
Biological Mechanisms Linking Shingles to Heart Health
Researchers are actively investigating why the vaccine may help to protect cardiovascular health. An additional possibility is that the more potent vaccine decreases this hazard by mitigating the elevated likelihood of heart and vascular ailments typically triggered by shingles. Alternatively, the vaccine could be having broader effects on the immune system that suppress inflammatory proteins.
Pointing out the inherent shortcomings in existing data methods, University of Bristol statistical modelling research fellow Dr. Hugo Pedder—who took no part in the investigation—shared his expert perspective. “A randomised trial would be the best way to confidently answer whether recombinant vaccines do provide the benefits seen here versus live vaccines, but until such a trial is done this study provides some of the best-quality observational evidence supporting an effect of recombinant v live vaccines for cardiovascular outcomes,” Pedder said.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the shingles vaccine prevent heart attacks?
Observational studies indicate that shingles vaccination is associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular events, including heart attacks and strokes, though researchers emphasize that randomized controlled trials are needed to confirm a direct causal link.
How long does the cardiovascular protection last?
Data from long-term tracking studies suggest that protective effects are strongest in the two to three years after the shingles vaccine was given, with researchers finding that the protection lasted for up to eight years.
What is the difference between Shingrix and Zostavax regarding heart outcomes?
Shingrix is a more effective vaccine that uses newer vaccine technology, whereas Zostavax was based on a weakened version of the chickenpox virus. Recent studies comparing patient outcomes around the 2017 U.S. transition between the two vaccines aim to clarify specific differences in cardiovascular risk reduction.
Are randomized trials currently testing this link?
Yes. Several trials are under way that could provide more definitive evidence regarding whether recombinant shingles vaccines directly protect against cardiovascular disease.
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