FRIDAY, Dec. 10, 2021 (HealthDay News) -- In the 14 days following each of the two doses of BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine, there was no increase in the incidence of acute myocardial infarction, stroke, or pulmonary embolism among individuals aged 75 years or older from France, according to a research letter published online Nov. 22 in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Marie Joelle Jabagi, Pharm.D., Ph.D., from the French National Agency for Medicines and Health Products Safety and French National Health Insurance in Saint-Denis, and colleagues examined the short-term risk for severe cardiovascular events among individuals aged 75 years or older after administration of the BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine in a population-based study conducted in France. Almost 3.9 million adults aged 75 years or older had received at least one vaccine dose as of April 30, 2021, and 3.2 million had received two doses.
The researchers found that during the observation period (Dec. 15, 2020, to April 30, 2021), 11,113 persons ages 75 years or older were hospitalized for acute myocardial infarction; 17,014 for an ischemic stroke; 4,804 for a hemorrhagic stroke; and 7,221 for pulmonary embolism. Of these, 58.6, 54.0, 42.7, and 55.3 percent, respectively, had received at least one vaccine dose. There was no significantly increased risk observed for any outcome in the 14 days following either vaccine dose. Upon subdivision of the exposure period (one to seven days and eight to 14 days), no significant increase was seen for any of the cardiovascular events during either of the intervals.
"This study provides further evidence regarding the risk of serious cardiovascular adverse events in older people," the authors write.
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