The recombinant shingles vaccine, an infection caused by the reactivation of the varicella-zoster virus (which also causes chickenpox), has been shown to reduce the odds of cardiovascular disease by 9% over seven years, according to a study published in the scientific journal Nature Medicine. The research analyzed adults over 60 years of age.
The study was conducted by researchers at the University of Oxford, who observed that the vaccinated group had lower odds of developing problems such as ischemic heart disease, heart failure, and atrial fibrillation. Another point identified is that the association of the vaccine with the protective benefit tends to decrease after the seven-year period.
For the analysis, data from more than 30,000 American adults vaccinated against the virus were used. The research does not mention other details about the participants or possible limitations of the study.
