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Shingles – How Can You Decrease Your Risk?
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By Michael Ahlers, Pharm. D. Candidate
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August, 2007
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Herpes Zoster, also known as shingles, is a condition characterized by a painful skin rash caused by the varicella-zoster virus. This is the same virus responsible for chickenpox. Once a person has had chickenpox, the virus remains in the body where it lies dormant until it becomes activated again. When this happens, instead of coming back as chickenpox, it causes shingles. Typically the rash appears on only one side of the body or face and lasts for about two to four weeks. In addition to a painful skin rash, other common symptoms of shingles may include blistering, fever, headache, chills and an upset stomach. More serious complications also commonly result from a shingles infection. One of these complications is referred to as postherpetic neuralgia, which is persistent pain that may last for months up to years after the rash subsides. The chance of developing shingles in one's lifetime is about 20 to 30% which accounts for over 50,000 cases in the United States annually. Of the people who live to age 85, about half will experience shingles.
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 There are many factors that put an individual at a higher risk of acquiring shingles. Some of these risk factors include having had chickenpox or the chickenpox vaccine in the past, being 60 years of age or older, and having a weakened immune system. Zostavax is a vaccine designed to boost the body's immunity against the virus that causes shingles. It was approved by the FDA in May of 2006. This vaccine has been shown to reduce the risk of getting shingles by over 50 percent. For those that did develop shingles after receiving the vaccine, their cases were found to be shorter and less severe compared to those that did not get the vaccine. It is recommended that all people 60 years and older receive a "shingles shot" even if the individual has had shingles in the past.
There are a number of people who should not receive this vaccination. This list includes individuals with an allergy to gelatin or neomycin and also people with untreated tuberculosis. Women who are pregnant and individuals with a history of weakened immune system due to conditions such as leukemia, lymphomas, AIDS, or HIV should avoid the Zostavax vaccine. Those who have undergone a recent organ transplantation and people who are receiving chemotherapy are not candidates for the vaccination. Certain medications, such as high-dose steroids (ex. Prednisone) can also weaken the immune system and compromise the safety of this vaccine. This vaccine is also not recommended for children. |
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 Side effects of the vaccine are pretty minimal but may include a headache, or possible redness, swelling, pain, warmth, itching, or burning at the site of the injection. In order to obtain the shingles vaccine, you need a written prescription from your doctor. The prescription can then be taken to a pharmacist that has been properly trained and certified to administer vaccines. The vaccine is injected in the back side of the arm. While the cost of the vaccination is around $200, most Medicare Part-D prescription drug plans cover a large portion of the cost. Some private insurance plans may also cover the vaccine, but it is a good idea to check with your individual insurance provider first.
Shingles can be a very unpleasant and painful experience for many people, but with the help of the Zostavac vaccine, we should be able to cut that number in half. If you are interested in learning more about the shingles vaccine, contact your doctor or ask your Lewis pharmacist for more information. |
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