COVID-19 vaccine linked with lower risk of heart attack, stroke: Study

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The COVID-19 vaccine lowered the risk of cardiovascular issues associated with the virus by around 40 percent, according to new research.

The study, which was published in JAMA Internal Medicine on Monday, studied the incidence of medical events like strokes and heart attacks in veterans immunized for COVID-19.

The study found that the vaccine decreased the risk of cardiovascular death associated with the virus by nearly 60 percent, the risk of heart attack by around 40 percent and the risk of stroke by just over 30 percent. Additionally, it decreased the risk of hospitalization for heart failure by around 40 percent, according to the study.

The researchers found that people over the age of 75 with the greatest reduction in risk for these health issues, as well as those with pre-existing health conditions.

Other research supports these new findings.

A study conducted in England between 2020 and 2022 found that the first dose of the vaccine resulted in an overall reduction in cardiovascular conditions, like heart attacks and strokes.

The research published on Monday compared two groups, including those who only received the flu vaccine and those who took both the flu and COVID-19 vaccine. Veterans in the group that received the COVID-19 vaccine had a 37.7 percent lower risk of heart conditions related to the virus, according to the study.

The study also found a broader health benefit for people who received the COVID-19 vaccine, including a 6 percent decreased risk in suffering from all heart conditions and a 7 percent reduction in deaths and hospitalizations overall.

This research was conducted among over 1 million veterans who used the Department of Veterans Affairs health system between 2024 and 2025. Over 90 percent of the participants in this study were men and the mean age was 70.1 years old.

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