Shingles associated with increased risk for stroke, heart attack (30% increase)

Medical Xpress / Brigham and Women's Hospital / Journal of the American Heart Association ^ | Nov. 22, 2022 | Sharon G. Curhan et al

[ConservativeMind]

A study demonstrated that shingles, also known as herpes zoster, is associated with an almost 30% higher long-term risk of a major cardiovascular event such a stroke or heart attack.

"Our findings suggest there are long-term implications of shingles and highlight the importance of prevention," said Sharon Curhan, MD, ScM.

Approximately 1 in 3 individuals will develop shingles in their lifetime, with more cases projected as the population ages and more people have compromised immunity due to disease or medication use.

The most common complication from shingles is postherpetic neuralgia. This condition affects nerve fibers and skin, causing burning pain that lasts long after the rash and blisters of shingles disappear. However, a growing body of evidence suggests that reactivation of the virus may have even longer lasting side effects.

The virus may play a role in the development of cardiovascular disorders, including stroke and coronary artery disease. The virus has been detected in large and small blood vessels, which overtime can cause inflammation as well as chronic vascular changes. These changes can increase the risk of blockages in the blood vessels, restricted blood flow, and cardiovascular events such as strokes and heart attacks.

The team followed participants for up to 16 years and evaluated whether those who had developed shingles were at higher risk for stroke or coronary heart disease years after the shingles episode.

The researchers tracked incidences of stroke and coronary heart diseass. Researchers also evaluated a combined outcome of cardiovascular disease, which included either stroke or coronary heart disease, whichever came first.

The results showed that people who had previously developed shingles were at 30% higher long-term risk of a major cardiovascular event compared with those who had not had shingles, and the elevated risk may persist for 12 years or more after having shingles.

[nicollo]

Doesn’t every single person that had chickenpox have this virus in them, but in a dormant state?

Per the wiki entry, "shingles results when the dormant varicella virus is reactivated." So if you never had chickenpox, you thereby don't have the dormant virus that causes shingles, and thus don't need the vaccine?

Asking for a friend.

[EEGator]

Sounds correct to me.

[Valpal1]

If you’ve never had the chicken pox, first get an antibody titer to confirm, because some people have it so mildly as very young children that it goes unnoticed.

If you truly have no antibodies, get the varicella so you won’t get chicken pox later in life. It is far more dangerous to adults, which is why they used to do chicken pox parties for kids to get it out of the way. It can also cause birth defects if contracted during pregnancy.

[OldMissileer]

I also had a rough time with the side effects (only after the first shot, second one was fine) for about a week, but I think that’s just me; everyone else I know who had it only had two or three days of discomfort, and not nearly as severe as what I experienced.

I took the same and had no side effects. I'm now trying to figure out why I am so screwed up that several things I've taken over the years have not had any side effects when others seemed to get them.

[LoneRangerMassachusetts]

Since this discovery was never mentioned before the clot-shot, I suspect they are blaming shingles for the heart attacks caused by the Covid ‘vaccine.’

Shingles is often a problem post Covid vaccine (associated with). They seem to be changing the definition of shingles as I have vaxxed friends who get something LIKE shingles but one doctor, who apparently didn’t get the memo, said it could not be, by definition, shingles because it occurs on both sides of the body, wherein true shingles only impacts one side of the body.

I came down with shingles the day after the clot shot. Four weeks after the clot shot, I came down with an intense shoulder spasm that tore a tendon. And, I came down with pulsatile tenites. The Jansen clot shot was quite a ride. I opted out of boosters and can only pray the crap is flushed out of my system over time.

[so_real]

Personal opinion : shingles expresses itself when the immune system is weakened to a degree it can no longer contain the viral load rendering it dormant. If you've had shingles, you've also likely had a vitamin/mineral deficiency negatively impacting your immune system. A relationship between strokes and a deficiency of B12 and D3 have been studied. Shingles and strokes may have overlapping contributive factors ... one of which may be poor nutrition.

[nicollo]

tks for the advice!