New data highlights the continued importance of COVID-19 vaccines for CVD patients

A recent Cardiovascular Research study found no association between two COVID-19 vaccines—BNT162b2 and CoronaVac, both authorized for emergency use in Hong Kong—and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) in patients with existing cardiovascular disease. 

To make the determination, researchers looked at electronic medical records and vaccination records for patients with existing cardiovascular disease who had a new MACE diagnosis between the start date of Hong Kong’s vaccination program in February 2021 and January 2022. 

“Our study showed that pre-existing cardiovascular disease should not prevent people from getting vaccinated against COVID-19,” said study author Esther W. Chan, MD, of the University of Hong Kong’s Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine in a statement about the study. 

Specifically, the researchers compared each patient’s own experience of MACE up to 27 days after each vaccine dose, considered the “exposure period,” versus their experience of MACE during the non-exposure baseline period outside of those 27 days. 

In the statement, Chan explained the reasoning behind the study’s approach.

 “A traditional cohort study would compare the vaccinated group with the unvaccinated group but the two groups could have different baseline characteristics. A self-controlled case series avoids the issue of differences between groups since each individual acts as his/her own control,” she said.