Fewer Heart Attacks in Vaccinated People

A vaccine against pneumonia also may reduce heart attack risk, a new study suggests. The vaccine protects against Streptococcus pneumoniae bacteria. It is recommended for babies, older adults and some others. Researchers looked at data on nearly 5,000 people. They were not known to have plaque in their arteries. But they did have high blood pressure, high cholesterol or diabetes. All of these conditions increase heart attack risk. About 7% of those who received the pneumonia vaccine later had a heart attack. The rate was 11.6% for those who did not get the vaccine. Reuters Health wrote about the study October 6. It appeared in the Canadian Medical Association Journal.