Australia; NSW; VIC
An Australian trial has found that the Pneumovax vaccine does not reduce the risk of heart attack or stroke in older adults, despite previous animal studies and human data suggesting that it might help prevent clogged ateries. The Pneumovax vaccine is currently recommended for adults over 70 in Australia to prevent pneumococcal disease, but it was thought that it might also help to prevent clogged arteries, which can cause heart attacks and strokes. The trial in close to 5,000 people aged 55 to 60 across six Australian centres found that there was no significant difference in the rates of fatal and nonfatal heart attack and stroke over seven years in people taking the vaccine or a non-active placebo. However, the authors say the study was too small to rule out a benefit altogether, and the results should be confirmed with larger trials.
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