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Shingles is a painful disease that can have serious and long lasting complications in some patients.1
The estimated lifetime risk of shingles is 1 in 4.2
- Shingles is caused by reactivation of the virus (varicella zoster virus) that causes chicken pox, which an estimated 90% of adults raised in the UK are infected with.3
- Due to a decline in the immune system, the risk of developing shingles increases with age (immunosenescence) and individuals who are immunosupressed due to disease or therapy are at greater risk than the immuncompetent population.3,4
Post Herpetic Neuralgia (PHN)
- The shingles rash, which typically lasts between two and four weeks, can be intensely painful and is associated with tingling, pricking or numbness of the skin.2
- The most common complication of shingles, is post herpetic neuralgia (PHN). Defined as pain that persists for 90 days or more after the onset of the rash, PHN affects up to 20% of adults aged ≥ 50 years.4
Other complications may occur
- Ophthalmic: Herpes zoster ophthalmicus affects approximately 10-20% of patients with shingles.6
- Cardiovascular: herpes zoster is associated with an increased long term risk of major cardiovascular events, such as stroke or coronary heart disease.7
- Visceral/disseminated disease (rare): e.g. pneumonia, hepatitis.1
Shingles and PHN can significantly impact a patient's quality of life. A qualitative, cross-section study to explore the impact of herpes zoster and PHN on health-related quality-of-life in adults aged ≥ 50 years found:
- 97% of patients reported an impact on activities of daily life such as the ability to get dressed (n/N = 31/32)8
- 91% of patients reported an impact on sleep, such as sleep interruption due to pain (n/N =29/32)8
- 78% of patients reported an impact on physical functioning, such as difficulty with movement (n/N = 25/32)8
- 97% of patients reported an impact on emotional functioning such as stress and anxiety (n/N = 31/32)8
- 63% of patients reported an impact on social functioning, such as social isolation (n/N = 20/32)8
- 28% of patients reported an impact on cognitive functioning, such as ability to concentrate (n/N = 9/32)8
n = 32 (18 HZ and 14 PHN patients). Impacts on quality of life presented above are not exhaustive. Not all patients may experience these impairments. Patients were eligible for this Canadian study (which explored subjective patient experience and impact of HZ and PHN on health-related quality-of-life) in adults aged ≥ 50 years if they had a clinical diagnosis of HZ. For HZ patients, the onset of pain must have been within 7-60 days after the initial HZ diagnosis. PHN patients had HZ-related pain 90 days after the initial rash and 90-365 days after initial HZ diagnosis.
Help to prevent the burden of shingles on your patients through effective implementation of the Shingles National Immunisation Programme
Prescribing information (UK)
Summary of product characteristics & Patient information leaflet (UK)
References:
- UK NICE Clinical Knowledge Summaries, 2024. Shingles: What are the complications?
- UKHSA Green Book Ch 28a. Shingles. Last accessed 2025
- UKHSA Green Book Ch 34. Varicella. Last accessed 2025
- Gauthier A, Breuer J, Carrington D, et al. Epidemiol Infect 2009;137(1):38-47
- Yanni EA, Ferreira G, Guennec M, et al. BMJ Open 2018;8:e020528
- Johnson RW, Alvarez-Pasquin MJ, Bijl M, et al. Ther Adv Vaccines 2015;3(4):109-120
- Curhan SG, Kawai K, Yawn B, et al. J Am Heart Assoc 2022;11:e027451:1-11
- Van Oorschot D, McGirr A, Goulet P, et al. Infect Dis Ther 2022;11:501-516
Adverse events should be reported. Reporting forms and information can be found at https://yellowcard.mhra.gov.uk/ or search for MHRA Yellowcard in the Google Play or Apple App store. Adverse events should also be reported to GlaxoSmithKline on 0800 221 441 or UKSafety@gsk.com
SHINGRIX is owned by or licensed to the GSK group of companies.
© 2025 GSK group of companies or its licensor.
Trade marks are owned by or licensed to the GSK group of companies.
March 2025 | PM-GB-SGX-WCNT-230007(v3.0)
