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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Science
Hannah Devlin Science correspondent

Shingles vaccine linked to lower risk of heart attack and stroke, study finds

Illustration of the chickenpox virus
Shingles is a painful condition caused by reactivation of the chickenpox virus. Illustration: Roger Harris/Science Photo Library/Getty Images

The current shingles vaccine appears to significantly lower the risk of heart attack and stroke, according to scientists who say it could help prevent thousands of deaths each year.

The research, based on records of 70,000 people in the US, found that those who had received Shingrix had a 12% lower risk of a cardiovascular diagnosis in the following three and a half years. If confirmed, this benefit would be comparable to taking a daily blood pressure-lowering medication, the scientists said.

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