People who already have heart disease and receive a shingles shot have about half the chance of serious heart problems in the next year compared to those who skip the vaccine.
The findings come from a big study that looked at more than 246,000 American adults with atherosclerotic heart disease – a condition caused by plaque building up in the arteries.
Why a Shingles Shot Might Guard the Heart
The CDC advises everyone 50 years or older to get the shingles vaccine, and younger people with weak immune systems should get it too. The shot protects against herpes zoster, a painful rash that can also cause long‑lasting nerve pain.
When shingles flare up, they can trigger blood clots near the brain and heart. Those clots raise the risk of heart attacks, strokes, and dangerous vein problems. By stopping shingles, the vaccine may also keep these clots from forming.
Big Study Shows Big Benefits
Researchers used a huge medical‑record database called TriNetX. They compared 123,411 adults 50 + who got at least one dose of Shingrix or Zostavax with the same number of similar people who never got the shot.
During the first year after vaccination, the vaccinated group had far lower risks. They were 46 % less likely to suffer a major heart event, 66 % less likely to die from any cause, 32 % less likely to have a heart attack, 25 % less likely to have a stroke, and 25 % less likely to develop heart failure.
These risk cuts are similar to the health gains seen when people quit smoking, reinforcing the current advice for adults over 50 to be vaccinated.
Things to Keep in Mind
The study only followed people for one year, so we don’t know the very long‑term impact yet. Earlier research from 2025 suggested the heart benefits could last up to eight years.
People who choose vaccines might also lead healthier lives overall, which could partly explain the results. The researchers tried to adjust for many lifestyle and social factors, but some influence may remain.
Overall, the large sample size and careful analysis give strong confidence that the shingles vaccine is linked to a meaningful drop in heart‑related danger.