Updated COVID Vaccine Reduced Cardiovascular Risks Among U.S. Veterans, Study Finds

A new study involving roughly 1 million U.S. veterans found that receiving an updated COVID-19 vaccine was associated with a 37.7% lower risk of COVID-related major cardiovascular events, including heart attacks and strokes, during about eight months of follow-up.

Researchers analyzed Veterans Affairs health records and compared people who received both flu and COVID vaccines with those who received only a flu shot. The protective effect was strongest among adults age 75 and older and people with chronic health conditions.

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Researchers were also surprised to find reductions in broader cardiovascular events, hospitalizations, and deaths that were not always linked to documented COVID infections.

The findings add to growing evidence that COVID infection itself can increase long-term cardiovascular risk and suggest vaccination may provide benefits beyond preventing severe illness. Because the study was observational, it cannot prove cause and effect, but experts said the results reinforce recommendations for vaccination among higher-risk populations.

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