Shingles is a painful rash that can cause serious complications, including cardiovascular disease (heart disease). Shortness of breath with shingles — or after having shingles — could be a sign of a heart problem that may be related to shingles.

Here’s what you need to know about shingles, your heart, and feeling out of breath.

What Is Shingles?

Shingles commonly causes a painful rash with blisters. The rash almost always happens on only one side of the body, because it follows the path of an infected nerve. Other symptoms of shingles include pain without a rash, fatigue, fever, light sensitivity, and headache. Shingles is caused by the herpes zoster virus — also known as the varicella-zoster virus or VZV — which is the virus that causes chickenpox. In people who’ve had chickenpox, the virus stays inactive in the body after the chickenpox infection has cleared. Later in life, the virus can reactivate and cause shingles.

Damage from shingles can cause complications such as ongoing nerve pain, brain inflammation, and a higher risk of heart attack and stroke.

The Link Between Shingles and Heart Problems

Shingles primarily affects nerves, but it can also damage blood vessels. In fact, the herpes zoster virus is the only virus known to reproduce inside the arteries. Inflammation from shingles can damage the walls of arteries, which can affect your heart health. Inflammation in blood vessels can impact how blood clots are formed. It can also affect the body’s ability to clear plaques that can form in arteries and cause blockages.

Shortness of breath is one of the most common signs of a heart attack. It may occur with a feeling of tightness in the chest or with chest pain.

Heart disease and stroke are usually caused by a buildup of plaques that block the flow of blood. Blood clots are another common cause of stroke. People who’ve had shingles are about 30 percent more likely to experience a serious cardiovascular event such as heart attack or stroke.

Shortness of Breath and Shingles

Heart or blood vessel complications such as heart attack or stroke generally happen after a shingles infection has cleared. The increased risk of cardiovascular complications is believed to last as long as 12 years after someone has had a shingles infection. The risk of stroke and heart attack is highest in the first year after developing shingles and decreases over time.

Heart Attack

Shortness of breath is one of the most common signs of a heart attack. It may occur with a feeling of tightness in the chest or with chest pain. Shortness of breath can also be a sign of a stroke, particularly in women.

Heart Block

In rare instances, shingles can cause a condition known as a heart block. This happens to fewer than 1 percent of people who are infected with the herpes zoster virus from either chickenpox or shingles.

A heart block causes problems with the conduction of the heart’s electrical signals and can make the heart skip beats or beat too slowly. This can affect heart function and in some cases can be life-threatening. Heart block can cause problems with blood flow because the heart can’t pump blood effectively. Heart block with shingles usually affects people who have a weakened immune system. This can include people receiving chemotherapy treatment, those living with HIV, or others who are immunocompromised.

Shortness of breath, chest pain, dizziness, and fainting are signs of a heart block, which can be a serious condition. Always seek medical help if you’re having trouble breathing or have other new or worsening symptoms.

VZV Pneumonia

Another uncommon complication of shingles is pneumonia caused by the herpes zoster virus, also known as varicella pneumonia or VZV pneumonia. VZV pneumonia can cause symptoms such as:

• Shortness of breath
• Coughing (sometimes with blood)
• Rapid breathing
• Chest pain

Varicella pneumonia is more likely to happen in people with weakened immune systems. Other risk factors include smoking and being male. VZV pneumonia is a serious condition that can be life-threatening if not treated.

Diaphragmatic Palsy

Diaphragmatic palsy is a rare complication of shingles that affects nerves in the spine that control the diaphragm. The diaphragm is a muscle that helps control breathing and can become weakened or paralyzed by the herpes zoster virus. In addition to shortness of breath, this complication can also cause muscle weakness in the arms.

Whether or not your shortness of breath is related to shingles, it can be a sign of a serious medical condition. You should always seek medical care if you’re having trouble breathing.

Seek Medical Help If You Experience Shortness of Breath

If you’re living with heart disease and develop shingles, it’s important to watch out for unexpected symptoms such as shortness of breath. Keep in mind that shortness of breath that’s related to shingles may develop after your shingles have resolved.

Whether or not your shortness of breath is related to shingles, it can be a sign of a serious medical condition. You should always seek medical care if you’re having trouble breathing. If your breathing is seriously affected, it’s essential to get emergency care right away.

Be sure to keep your cardiologist informed about any health issue you experience, including shingles. It’s important for your healthcare team to know if you’ve had a shingles infection so they can recognize and treat any complications appropriately.

Take Steps To Prevent Shingles

If you have heart disease, it’s essential to take steps to protect your heart and your overall health. The best way to prevent shingles is to get vaccinated. The shingles vaccine is recommended for all adults over age 50. People with weakened immune systems who are over 19 years of age are also advised to get the shingles vaccine.

The current shingles vaccine, called Shingrix, is recommended even if you’ve already had shingles, because it’s possible to get shingles more than once. The vaccine is also recommended for people who’ve previously received the Zostavax vaccine, an older shingles vaccine. The shingles vaccine is taken in two doses, spaced 2 to 6 months apart.

If you think you may have shingles, contact your doctor right away. Shingles can be treated with antiviral medications, pain killers, and corticosteroids. Starting treatment early can help relieve uncomfortable symptoms and lower the risk of nerve damage and other complications.

Join the Conversation

On MyHeartDiseaseTeam, people share their experiences with heart disease, get advice, and find support from others who understand.

Have you experienced shortness of breath related to shingles? Let others know in the comments below.