COVID-19 vaccination and the risk of cardiovascular and thromboembolic events after SARS-CoV-2 infection: a systematic review and meta-analysis
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Background and Aims
SARS-CoV-2 infection is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular, cerebrovascular and venous thromboembolism events. We aimed to assess the impact of COVID-19 vaccination prior to SARS-CoV-2 infection on the risk of these events post-infection.
Methods
Embase and MEDLINE were searched from January 2021 to 11 September 2025, supplemented by citation searching. Observational studies were included if they reported risks of cardiovascular, cerebrovascular, or venous thromboembolic events after SARS-CoV-2 infection between different vaccination groups (e.g. unvaccinated, vaccinated, or booster vaccinated), or reported risk of events after SARS-CoV-2 infection compared with no infection, stratified by vaccination status. Random-effects meta-analyses were conducted to estimate pooled hazard ratios (HRs) comparing vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals across prespecified outcomes.
Results
Twenty-three studies were included in the systematic review; most reported an association between vaccination and a reduced risk of post-infection vascular events. Ten studies were included across meta-analyses comparing vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals. Pre-infection vaccination was associated with significantly reduced risks of composite cardiovascular/cerebrovascular events (HR 0.60, 95% confidence intervals [CI] 0.51–0.69), stroke (HR 0.75, 95% CI 0.64–0.88), acute coronary syndrome (HR 0.70, 95% CI 0.52–0.95), arrhythmias (HR 0.82, 95% CI 0.69–0.98), and venous thromboembolism (HR 0.51, 95% CI 0.36–0.73). No statistically significant reduction was observed for heart failure (HR 0.72 [95% CI 0.47–1.10]).
Conclusions
Pre-infection COVID-19 vaccination is associated with lower risks of cardiovascular, cerebrovascular and venous thromboembolism events following SARS-CoV-2 infection in the pre- and post-Omicron eras, supporting its role within broader prevention strategies.
