Patient profiles

Discover types of patients you may see in your practice.

Starting at 50 years old, the risk of developing shingles sharply increases.1 Patients 50 years and older may have additional risk factors for shingles. Certain chronic conditions and psychological stress have been associated with an increased risk of shingles.2

Patient profile: 50-year-old female with psychological stress

Maria is 50 years old and stressed

AGE + PSYCHOLOGICAL STRESS
Patient profile: 62-year-old male with diabetes

Arthur is 62 years old with diabetes

AGE + DIABETES
Patient profile: 66-year-old female with coronary artery disease

Sandra is 66 years old with coronary artery disease

AGE + CARDIOVASCULAR CONDITIONS
Patient profile: 70-year-old male with chronic kidney disease

Leo is 70 years old with chronic kidney disease

AGE + CKD
Patient profile: 50-year-old female with psychological stress

Maria is 50 years old and stressed

PSYCHOLOGICAL STRESS HAS BEEN ASSOCIATED WITH A 47% INCREASED RISK OF SHINGLES2,*,†,‡

 

Patient history

  • She reports to her doctor feeling very stressed
  • No vaccination for shingles

 

Barriers to her vaccination

  • Prioritizes her family and career over herself
  • Too busy now but plans on vaccination later

 

Personalized recommendation

  • Even if she feels healthy, a natural decline in VZV-specific immunity with age puts her at increased risk for shingles3
  • Her psychological stress is also a risk factor for shingles2
  • SHINGRIX may be given at any time of the year
  • SHINGRIX is proven to help prevent shingles in adults ≥50 years4
  • Discuss the demonstrated efficacy and safety profile of SHINGRIX
  • *

    Pooled effect estimate (8 studies) of the risk of shingles in patients with stress vs without: RR: 1.47 (95% Cl: 1.03-2.10).2

  • †

    Data from a meta-analysis assessing risk factors for HZ. The analysis included a total study population of 198,751,846 individuals, with 3,768,691 HZ cases across 88 studies (68 cohort and 20 case-control studies) from 1966 to 2019. The populations in these studies ranged from people aged 3 months to 104 years old.§ Eighteen risk factors were identified in the meta-analysis, note not all are presented here. Limitations included the following: most studies were observational and had a higher likelihood of bias; the majority of studies used administrative data, which is subject to miscoding, errors, and can vary between practitioners; finally, heterogeneity was high across studies. This list is not exhaustive and may not present all conditions associated with an increased risk of HZ.2

  • ‡

    The methodology used to define psychological stress varied greatly across studies and included patient questionnaires and major life events (either self-reported or captured on medical record, eg, death of a spouse or diagnosis of major medical event).2

  • §

    SHINGRIX is a vaccine indicated for the prevention of herpes zoster (shingles) in adults 50 years and older.

Cl=confidence interval; CKD=chronic kidney disease; HZ=herpes zoster; RR=relative risk; VZV=varicella zoster virus.

Patient profile: 62-year-old male with diabetes

Arthur is 62 years old with diabetes

DIABETES HAS BEEN ASSOCIATED WITH A 24% INCREASED RISK OF SHINGLES2,*,† AND 19% INCREASED ODDS OF PHN.5,‡

 

Patient history

  • Active in managing his health
  • No vaccination for shingles

 

Barriers to his vaccination

  • Thinks prioritizing diabetes management is enough for his health 
  • Concerned about vaccine side effects

 

Personalized recommendation

  • Arthur's risk for shingles is increased due to his age.3 His diabetes is also a risk factor for shingles2
  • Discuss safety profile including the most common side effects, which are pain, redness, and swelling at the injection site, muscle pain, tiredness, headache, shivering, fever, and upset stomach. In studies, these side effects had a median duration of 2 to 3 days4
  • SHINGRIX is proven to help prevent shingles in adults ≥50 years4

 

Shingles vaccination recommendations from expert healthcare organizations:

  • The American Diabetes Association (ADA)
    Recommends providing routinely recommended vaccinations for adults with diabetes as indicated by age. This includes zoster vaccination for adults ≥50 years of age6
  • The American Association of Clinical Endocrinology (AACE)
    RZV is recommended for adults aged ≥50 years for protection against shingles, according to the CDC/ACIP vaccination schedule7

 

SHINGRIX is not indicated for the prevention of PHN or other herpes zoster-related complications.4

  • *

    Pooled effect estimate (32 studies) of the risk of shingles in patients with diabetes vs without: RR: 1.24 (95% Cl: 1.14-1.35).2

  • †

    Data from a meta-analysis assessing risk factors for HZ. The analysis included a total study population of 198,751,846 individuals, with 3,768,691 HZ cases across 88 studies (68 cohort and 20 case-control studies) from 1966 to 2019. The populations in these studies ranged from people aged 3 months to 104 years old.§ Eighteen risk factors were identified in the meta-analysis, note not all are presented here. Limitations included the following: most studies were observational and had a higher likelihood of bias; the majority of studies used administrative data, which is subject to miscoding, errors, and can vary between practitioners; finally, heterogeneity was high across studies. This list is not exhaustive and may not present all conditions associated with an increased risk of HZ.2

  • ‡

    UK observational study using Clinical Practice Research Datalink. Among 119,413 patients with shingles (median age 61 years) diagnosed between January 2000 and December 2011, 5.8% developed PHN (defined as pain persisting for ≥90 days following shingles diagnosis). Odds ratios for PHN were modeled for select comorbidities and adjusted for age, sex, socioeconomic status, HIV, leukemia, lymphoma, myeloma, hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, other unspecified cellular immune deficiencies, rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, inflammatory bowel disease, COPD, asthma, chronic kidney disease, depression, personality disorder, diabetes, recent cancer diagnosis, smoking, BMI category, site of zoster, antivirals, and immunosuppressive therapies. Among 8492 patients with diabetes and shingles, 789 (9.3%) developed PHN. Adjusted odds ratio: 1.19 (99% Cl: 1.07-1.33).5

  • §

    SHINGRIX is a vaccine indicated for the prevention of herpes zoster (shingles) in adults 50 years and older.

ACIP=Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices; BMI=body mass index; CDC=Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; Cl=confidence interval; COPD=chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; HIV=human immunodeficiency virus; HZ=herpes zoster; PHN=postherpetic neuralgia; RR=relative risk; RZV=recombinant zoster vaccine.

Patient profile: 66-year-old female with coronary artery disease

Sandra is 66 years old with coronary artery disease

CARDIOVASCULAR CONDITIONS HAVE BEEN ASSOCIATED WITH A 34% INCREASED RISK OF SHINGLES2,*,†,‡

 

Patient history

  • Focused on managing her condition and thinks she is doing all she can to stay healthy as she ages
  • No vaccination for shingles

 

Barriers to her vaccination

  • Prioritizes other vaccines
  • HCP has not made her aware of her increased risk for shingles1,2

 

Personalized recommendation

  • Sandra's risk for shingles increases as she ages.3 Cardiovascular conditions have also been associated with an increased risk for shingles2
  • Shingles is a painful blistering rash that typically lasts up to 7 to 10 days8
  • SHINGRIX is proven to help prevent shingles in adults ≥50 years4
  • Discuss risks and demonstrated efficacy of SHINGRIX
  • Discuss coadministration of SHINGRIX with certain other adult vaccines
  • *

    Pooled effect estimate (16 studies) of the risk of shingles in patients with cardiovascular conditions vs without: RR: 1.34 (95% Cl: 1.17-1.54).2

  • †

    Data from a meta-analysis assessing risk factors for HZ. The analysis included a total study population of 198,751,846 individuals, with 3,768,691 HZ cases across 88 studies (68 cohort and 20 case-control studies) from 1966 to 2019. The populations in these studies ranged from people aged 3 months to 104 years old.§ Eighteen risk factors were identified in the meta-analysis, note not all are presented here. Limitations included the following: most studies were observational and had a higher likelihood of bias; the majority of studies used administrative data, which is subject to miscoding, errors, and can vary between practitioners; finally, heterogeneity was high across studies. This list is not exhaustive and may not present all conditions associated with an increased risk of HZ.2

  • ‡

    Cardiovascular conditions included in each individual study in the meta-analysis varied by study and included heart disease, heart failure, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, stroke, atrial fibrillation/flutter, and other cardiovascular disease.2

  • §

    SHINGRIX is a vaccine indicated for the prevention of herpes zoster (shingles) in adults 50 years and older.

CI=confidence interval; HZ=herpes zoster; RR=relative risk.

Patient profile: 70-year-old male with chronic kidney disease

Leo is 70 years old with chronic kidney disease

CKD HAS BEEN ASSOCIATED WITH A 29% INCREASED RISK OF SHINGLES2,*,†

 

Patient history

  • Active as a volunteer in the community
  • Incomplete vaccination series for shingles

 

Barriers to his vaccination

  • Focused on managing his CKD
  • Unaware that he needs a second dose

 

Personalized recommendation

  • Leo's risk for shingles increases as he ages.3 His CKD is also a risk factor for shingles2
  • Shingles could strike at any time and disrupt his lifestyle3,10,11
  • It is important to administer both doses to get the full protection offered by SHINGRIX. The efficacy of SHINGRIX was demonstrated in clinical trials when administered as a 2-dose series4
  • Discuss the demonstrated efficacy and safety profile of SHINGRIX
  • *

    Pooled effect estimate (18 studies) of the risk of shingles in patients with CKD vs without: RR: 1.29 (95% Cl: 1.10-1.51).2

  • †

    Data from a meta-analysis assessing risk factors for HZ. The analysis included a total study population of 198,751,846 individuals, with 3,768,691 HZ cases across 88 studies (68 cohort and 20 case-control studies) from 1966 to 2019. The populations in these studies ranged from people aged 3 months to 104 years old.‡ Eighteen risk factors were identified in the meta-analysis, note not all are presented here. Limitations included the following: most studies were observational and had a higher likelihood of bias; the majority of studies used administrative data, which is subject to miscoding, errors, and can vary between practitioners; finally, heterogeneity was high across studies. This list is not exhaustive and may not present all conditions associated with an increased risk of HZ.2

  • ‡

    SHINGRIX is a vaccine indicated for the prevention of herpes zoster (shingles) in adults 50 years and older.

CI=confidence interval; CKD=chronic kidney disease; HZ=herpes zoster; RR=relative risk.

WHAT YOU SAY MATTERS

Strongly recommend SHINGRIX to help protect your appropriate patients 50 years and older from shingles

LEARN MORE

Indication & Important Safety Info

Indication

Important Safety Information

Indication

SHINGRIX is a vaccine indicated for prevention of herpes zoster (HZ) (shingles):

  • in adults aged 50 years and older.
  • in adults aged 18 years and older who are or will be at increased risk of HZ due to immunodeficiency or immunosuppression caused by known disease or therapy.

SHINGRIX is not indicated for prevention of primary varicella infection (chickenpox).

Important Safety Information

  • SHINGRIX is contraindicated in anyone with a history of a severe allergic reaction (eg, anaphylaxis) to any component of the vaccine or after a previous dose of SHINGRIX
  • Review immunization history for possible vaccine sensitivity and previous vaccination-related adverse reactions. Appropriate medical treatment and supervision must be available to manage possible anaphylactic reactions following administration of SHINGRIX
  • In postmarketing observational studies, an increased risk of Guillain-Barré syndrome has been observed during the 42 days following vaccination with SHINGRIX
  • Syncope (fainting) can be associated with the administration of injectable vaccines, including SHINGRIX. Procedures should be in place to avoid falling injury and to restore cerebral perfusion following syncope
  • Solicited local adverse reactions reported in individuals aged 50 years and older were pain (78%), redness (38%), and swelling (26%)
  • Solicited general adverse reactions reported in individuals aged 50 years and older were myalgia (45%), fatigue (45%), headache (38%), shivering (27%), fever (21%), and gastrointestinal symptoms (17%)  
  • Solicited local adverse reactions reported in autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients (aged 18 to 49 and ≥50 years of age) were pain (88% and 83%), redness (30% and 35%), and swelling (21% and 18%)  
  • Solicited general adverse reactions reported in autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients (aged 18 to 49 and ≥50 years of age) were fatigue (64% and 54%), myalgia (58% and 52%), headache (44% and 30%), gastrointestinal symptoms (21% and 28%), shivering (31% and 25%), and fever (28% and 18%)
  • The data are insufficient to establish if there is vaccine-associated risk with SHINGRIX in pregnant women
  • It is not known whether SHINGRIX is excreted in human milk. Data are not available to assess the effects of SHINGRIX on the breastfed infant or on milk production/excretion
  • Vaccination with SHINGRIX may not result in protection of all vaccine recipients

 

Please see full Prescribing Information.

To report SUSPECTED ADVERSE REACTIONS, contact GSK at gsk.public.reportum.com or
1-888-825-5249, or VAERS at 1-800-822-7967 or www.vaers.hhs.gov.

References

  1. Clinical overview of shingles (herpes zoster). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Reviewed June 27, 2024. Accessed September 7, 2025. https://www.cdc.gov/shingles/hcp/clinical-overview/index.html

  2. Marra F, Parhar K, Huang B, Vadlamudi N. Risk factors for herpes zoster infection: a meta-analysis. Open Forum Infect Dis. 2020;7(1):1-8.

  3. Harpaz R, Ortega-Sanchez IR, Seward JF; Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Prevention of herpes zoster: recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). MMWR Recomm Rep. 2008:57(RR-5):1-30.

  4. Prescribing Information for SHINGRIX.

  5. Forbes HJ, Bhaskaran K, Thomas SL, et al. Quantification of risk factors for postherpetic neuralgia in herpes zoster patients: a cohort study. Neurology. 2016;87(1):94-102.

  6. American Diabetes Association Professional Practice Committee. 4. Comprehensive medical evaluation and assessment of comorbidities: standards of care in diabetes—2025. Diabetes Care. 2025;48(suppl 1):S59-S85.

  7. Blonde L, Umpierrez GE, Reddy SS, et al. American Association of Clinical Endocrinology clinical practice guideline: developing a diabetes mellitus comprehensive care plan—2022 update. Endocr Pract. 2022;28(10):923-1049.

  8. Shingles symptoms and complications. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Reviewed April 19, 2024. Accessed March 26, 2025. https://www.cdc.gov/shingles/signs-symptoms/index.html

  9. Shingles vaccine recommendations. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Reviewed October 22, 2024. Accessed August 5, 2025. https://www.cdc.gov/shingles/hcp/vaccine-considerations/index.html

  10. Curran D, Matthews S, Boutry C, Lecrenier N, Cunningham AL, Schmader K. Natural history of herpes zoster in the placebo groups of three randomized phase Ill clinical trials. Infect Dis Ther. 2022;11(6):2265-2277.

  11. Berlinberg EJ, Kim E, Deiner MS, Patterson C, Porco TC, Acharya NR. Seasonality of herpes zoster and herpes zoster ophthalmicus. J Clin Virol. 2020;126:104306.

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