Campaign highlights shingles risk for chronic disease patients

A public health campaign drew attention to the elevated risk of herpes zoster (shingles) among people living with hypertension, diabetes, and hyperlipidemia—conditions commonly referred to as the "three highs" in Beijing on Wednesday.

The campaign, guided by the China Disease Prevention and Control Center, brings together public health officials and clinicians to promote integrated management of chronic diseases and vaccine-preventable infections.

Data presented at the campaign show that individuals with high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or coronary heart disease have a 39% higher risk of developing shingles compared to the general population. More than 90% of adults carry the dormant varicella-zoster virus, and approximately one in three will develop shingles in their lifetime.

Age is the most significant risk factor, with people over 50 most vulnerable. Those with chronic conditions or compromised immune systems are also at increased risk.

Li Ang, chief endocrinologist at Peking University First Hospital, said that diabetic patients who contract shingles often experience more severe pain and face higher risks of postherpetic neuralgia—a complication that can last for months or even years. Research also shows significantly higher hospitalization and complication rates among diabetic patients with shingles.

Cardiovascular patients, similarly, tend to suffer more intense and persistent pain from shingles than the general population.

Fan Bifa, director of the pain department at China-Japan Friendship Hospital, said that shingles pain can be severe—described as burning, electric-shock-like, stabbing, or cutting. For patients with chronic conditions, the combined impact can undermine disease management and seriously affect quality of life.

Experts recommend that people over 50 and those with stable chronic conditions consider vaccination as a preventive measure, alongside healthy lifestyle practices.

National health policy is increasingly promoting collaboration between clinical care and public health services. Cities including Beijing and Qingdao have launched pilot programs that integrate vaccination guidance into routine medical visits. Some community health centers now include vaccine reminders in health check-up reports and offer on-site vaccination services.

"We want to address a common misunderstanding," said Yang Yingming, deputy director of a community health center in Beijing's Changping District. "Having a stable chronic condition does not mean vaccination is off-limits. It can be an appropriate and effective way to reduce disease risk."

The campaign aims to raise awareness among high-risk groups and encourage proactive prevention as part of routine chronic disease management.