Shingles jab may reduce stroke or heart attack risk, study finds

Getting the shingles vaccine could lower your risk of a heart attack or stroke by as much as a fifth, according to the first study of its kind.

- Andrew Gregory

Shingles is a condition affecting millions worldwide that causes a painful rash and can sometimes lead to serious problems such as deafness, long-lasting pain and blindness. It occurs most often as people get older and is more likely to cause serious problems in older age groups.

Most countries tend to recommend the vaccine only to older people or immunosuppressed adults but the findings suggest it could have cardiovascular protective effects in adults as young as 18.

The results from the study, the world's first global systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the evidence, shows the jab is associated with a statistically significant lower risk of cardiovascular events.