Latest COVID Vaccine Cuts Heart Risk by 38% in Veterans

The 2024-2025 COVID vaccine is doing double duty, protecting not just against the virus but also against heart attacks, strokes, and cardiovascular deaths.

Researchers studied more than one million U.S. veterans and discovered something remarkable. Those who received the latest COVID vaccine had a 37.7% lower risk of serious heart problems compared to those who only got the flu shot.

The heart protection numbers are even more impressive when you look at specific conditions. The vaccine was linked to a 57.9% lower risk of dying from cardiovascular causes, a 38.5% lower risk of heart attack, and a 41.9% lower risk of hospitalization for heart failure.

The protection was strongest for those who need it most. Veterans over 75 years old saw a 50.7% reduction in COVID-related major cardiovascular events, and those with underlying health conditions also saw significant benefits.

Dr. Glenn Hirsch, a cardiologist at National Jewish Health in Denver, says the findings make sense. COVID-19 causes inflammation in the body, which makes blood more likely to clot and can cause dangerous plaques in arteries to rupture.

"Vaccines either prevent infection or reduce the severity of infection and subsequent inflammation, lowering the cardiovascular risk," Hirsch explained. The vaccine acts like a shield, stopping the inflammation before it can trigger heart problems.

The study tracked nearly 350,000 veterans who received both COVID and flu vaccines on the same day, comparing them to almost 700,000 who only received the flu vaccine. Over eight months, the heart health benefits became clear.

The Bright Side

This research adds to growing evidence that protecting yourself from infectious diseases does more than prevent the sniffles. Vaccines work throughout your body, reducing inflammation that can harm your heart, brain, and blood vessels.

While the study couldn't prove direct cause and effect (it was observational), the pattern fits with what doctors have seen from other vaccines. Preventing infections means preventing the stress and inflammation they cause to your cardiovascular system.

The benefits in this study were smaller than in earlier COVID vaccine research, possibly because recent virus variants cause milder illness and many people have some immunity from prior infections. Still, the protection remains meaningful, especially for older adults and those with existing health conditions.

Hirsch encourages everyone to talk with their healthcare team about vaccination. "There is still evidence of benefit from COVID-19 vaccination like many other infectious disease vaccinations," he said.

The average age of veterans in the study was about 70, and 92% were male. The findings suggest that getting vaccinated is one more tool in the toolkit for protecting heart health as we age.