New research has linked adults who’ve had shingles with up to a 38% increased risk for a subsequent first stroke or 25% more likely to develop coronary heart disease – much stronger risks than previously understood.
The long-term study by US researchers at Boston’s Brigham and Women’s Hospital followed individuals for up to 16 years – and also revealed the association after an active case of shingles lasts for a much longer duration than previously understood. For example, people who’ve had shingles are more likely to experience cardiovascular problems for 12 years or more.
The study, published in the Journal of the American Heart Association, analysed data from 205,030 adults in 3 separate studies (all were health professionals and people with prior histories of strokes or coronary disease were excluded); participants completed questionnaires at enrolment in their respective studies and completed follow-up questionnaires every 2 years – and cross-checks with participants’ physicians found the self-reports were highly accurate.
Californian cardiologist Dr Rigved Tadwalkar (not involved in the study) told medicalnewstoday.com: ‘It seems from the data the risk peaks somewhere in the 5-12 year range, but perhaps it may persist thereafter.
‘The findings were surprising, both due to the magnitude of the elevated risk and the long duration of time that the risk remained elevated.’
As the population in western countries ages, shingles cases are on the rise. Currently, most people who get shingles are over 50, having had chickenpox as children.
Younger people are more likely to have been vaccinated against the disease; and having never had chickenpox, they have no dormant varicella-zoster virus.
Lead study author Dr Sharon Curhan explained that due to the study’s extended follow-up period, much of it covered a time before a shingles vaccine was widely available.
‘The more recent non-live, recombinant subunit adjuvanted vaccine was not available until after the end of follow-up in our study,’ she noted.
‘Given the growing number (of the population) at risk for shingles, which can be a painful and disabling disease, and the availability of an effective vaccine, shingles vaccination could provide a valuable opportunity to reduce the burden of shingles – and also possibly reduce the risk of subsequent cardiovascular complications.’
