These three vaccinations reduce the risk of stroke and Alzheimer’s disease

People usually get vaccinated to prevent serious diseases such as measles, rubella and others. But some vaccines even have positive side effects. Did you know that certain vaccinations can reduce the risk of strokes and Alzheimer’s?

According to the Alzheimer Research Initiative e. V. There are approximately 1.8 million people in Germany living with dementia, of which 1.2 million suffer from Alzheimer’s disease. In addition, almost 270,000 people suffer a stroke in Germany every year. Interestingly, vaccinations that are actually intended for other purposes can have a preventive effect in both cases. New studies reveal which vaccinations should not be missing from your vaccination record.

Three vaccinations reduce stroke risk

During an investigation into the disease courses of almost two million patients with a Sars-CoV-2 infection by a team of researchers from the USA between 2020 and 2022, it was found that a corona vaccination can protect against strokes and other complications. The study found that the risk of serious cardiovascular diseases was 41 percent lower in people who had received all three corona vaccinations than in unvaccinated people.

Of the two million patients analyzed, almost 14,000 developed a heart attack, stroke or other cardiovascular disease within up to 180 days of a Sars-CoV-2 infection. Among those affected, 160 were partially vaccinated and 1,055 were fully vaccinated, while the majority – 12,733 patients – were not vaccinated.

The results of the US study, published in February 2023coincide with those of a Korean research team that analyzed similar data from South KoreaBoth studies suggest that there is a link between the corona vaccination and the risk of stroke. The exact mechanisms responsible for this remain unclear for now and require further investigation to clarify.

Nevertheless, unwanted side effects such as the risk of thrombosis are also a possible consequence of the corona vaccination. This has been officially confirmed by the Swedish vaccine manufacturer AstraZeneca due to some serious cases of side effects. However, it is important to note that these are not long-term side effects, but that the risk only exists shortly after vaccination.

Flu vaccination can reduce stroke risk by 17 percent

In a study, researchers from Great Britain foundthat a flu vaccination can reduce the risk of stroke. Specifically, the risk of stroke was reduced by 55 percent in the first three days after vaccination and was still 17 percent lower after two months compared to people without a flu vaccination. One possible explanation for this could be that acute respiratory diseases increase the risk of stroke, as other studies have shown.

The study involved nearly 18,000 people who had received one or more flu vaccinations and suffered a stroke during the observation period. During this time, the incidence of strokes was reduced by up to 55 percent in the first 59 days after the flu vaccination compared to the baseline period.

Another way to reduce the risk of stroke by 17 percent could be the shingles vaccination, Australian researchers found in 2021. According to a study, which was published in the journal Strokethe vaccination was able to reduce the risk of an acute ischemic stroke by 17 percent and of a hemorrhagic stroke by 12 percent. The former involves a narrowing of a blood vessel, while the latter involves a rupture of the vessel.

The researchers analyzed the data of 1.6 million US citizens over the age of 66 who had received a shingles (herpes zoster) vaccination between 2008 and 2014. They were compared with an equally large group of non-vaccinated people, taking sociodemographic and clinical factors into account.

Three vaccinations reduce Alzheimer’s risk

In an effort to combat Alzheimer’s, scientists are investigating the causes and treatment options for the disease. It has been suspected for some time that infectious diseases may play a role in some forms of Alzheimer’s. This assumption was confirmed by a US study from 2023, which shows that the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease can be reduced through routine vaccinations. The participants in the study were vaccinated against at least one of the following diseases:

All subjects were over 65 years old and showed no signs of dementia in the first two years. The researchers followed them for a total of eight years. Their conclusion was that people who had received at least one of the vaccinations were significantly less likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease than those who had not been vaccinated. ■