Shingles, caused by the chickenpox virus, greatly increases the risk of vascular events in young patients, a recent study warns.
Shingles before age 40 and the risk of cardiovascular disease increases. This is the conclusion of a study conducted among more than 300,000 people, published in the journal Neurology.
Shingles is caused by the chickenpox virus. It can lie dormant in nerve cells for years and reappear when the immune system is weak. The Institut de Veille Sanitaire (InVS) estimates that in France, 20% of the population is affected in their lifetime by the virus. Shingles is a rash that is painful to the touch, but most often mild. On average, it takes 7-10 days to cure it.
10% more risk after 40 years
But a patient treated for shingles develops a risk of cardiovascular disease in old age, according to the study. Out of 320,000 people studied, 106,000 suffered from shingles. Among those who had it before the age of 40, the risk of cerebrovascular accident (stroke) is increased by 74%, that of infarction by half. Transient cerebral ischemias, also called “mini-strokes”, are also twice as common in patients with shingles. In contrast, patients affected after 40 experience a high risk of 10%.
The study could not establish a direct link between vascular events and shingles. But they assume that the virus, when reactivating, reaches the arteries. In fact, very few patients treated for shingles have experienced any of these events. But caution is in order according to the lead author of the study, Dr. Judith Breuer, especially in young people and at vascular risk. She also wants to launch a comprehensive study to determine whether the chickenpox vaccine can protect patients at risk for shingles.
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