Herpes Zoster Increases Heart Attack, Stroke Risk

Herpes zoster was associated with an increased risk of stroke and myocardial infarction, according to a recent researcher letter.

Researchers from South Korea used data from the National Health Insurance Service’s “medical check-up” database from 2003 to 2013 to examine incidence of herpes zoster, stroke, and myocardial infarction among a cohort of 519,880 patients. Of these patients, 23,213 patients who developed herpes zoster were included in the final analysis with a matched cohort of patients without herpes zoster.
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Overall, herpes zoster was associated with a 41% increase in the risk of composite cardiovascular events, a 35% increase in the risk of stroke, and a 59% increase in the risk of myocardial infarction. Patients with herpes zoster who were under 40 years of age had the highest risk for stroke.

In addition, the risk for myocardial infarction and stroke among patients with herpes zoster was highest within the first year of onset and decreased over time, while these risks were evenly distributed among patients without herpes zoster. 

"While these findings require further study into the mechanism that causes shingles patients to have an increased risk of heart attack and stroke, it is important that physicians treating these patients make them aware of their increased risk," the researchers concluded.

—Melissa Weiss

Reference:

1) Kim MC, Yun SC, Lee HB, et al. Herpes zoster increases the risk of stroke and myocardial infarction. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2017;70(2): 295-296.

2) Does shingles increase the risk of heart attack, stroke? [press release]. Washington, DC: ACC News; July 3, 2017. http://www.acc.org/latest-in-cardiology/articles/2017/06/30/12/05/does-shingles-increase-the-risk-of-heart-attack-stroke?w_nav=LC. Accessed July 5, 2017.