The latest COVID-19 vaccine has been linked to fewer serious heart-related events among U.S. veterans, according to a recent study.
The research, which analyzed health records from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, compared two groups of veterans - one that received the COVID and flu vaccine on the same day and another group that received only the flu vaccine.
The study found that those who received the COVID vaccine had a lower risk of COVID-associated major cardiovascular events, with a relative vaccine effectiveness of 37.7%.
The benefit was greatest among adults ages 75 and older and those with underlying health conditions, with the vaccine being 50.7% effective at preventing COVID-associated MACE in people over 75.
A cardiologist at National Jewish Health in Denver, Colorado, noted that the results are "not overall surprising" and are consistent with previous studies of the COVID-19 vaccine.
The doctor explained that acute inflammation in the body from infections like COVID-19 increases the risk of cardiovascular events, but vaccines can either prevent infection or reduce the severity of infection and subsequent inflammation, lowering the cardiovascular risk.
Despite the positive outcome, the overall benefit of the vaccine in this study was less than in previous studies, according to the cardiologist, who attributed this to the lower severity of illness seen in more recent COVID-19 variants and immunity from prior infections among unvaccinated people.
The study highlights the ongoing importance of COVID-19 vaccination, particularly for older adults and those with underlying health conditions, and encourages people to discuss their vaccination status with their healthcare team annually.
The research also serves as a reminder that observational trials can have limitations, and there may be confounding variables that affect the results.
