Researchers analyzed records of 70,000 U.S. adults and found that those who received the two‑dose Shingrix vaccine had a 12% lower risk of a cardiovascular diagnosis within three and a half years compared with those who did not receive the vaccine.

Shingrix, a shingles vaccine approved in 2017, is recommended for adults 50 and older and is given in two doses.

The study, based on electronic health records from 2017 to 2020, estimated that the vaccine's protective effect was similar to the risk reduction achieved by taking a daily blood pressure‑lowering medication. The researchers noted that, if confirmed, the vaccine could prevent thousands of heart attacks and strokes each year.

Further investigation is needed to establish causality and assess the durability of the benefit.