Management and prevention of shingles: Guidelines from the Ministry of Health and the Vietnam Dermatology Association

At the annual National Dermatology Conference, the 2nd Dermatology Research Conference, and the 6th Indochina Dermatology Conference recently held in Hue with the participation of more than 1,500 delegates, Associate Professor, Dr. Le Huu Doanh, Vice President of the Vietnam Dermatology Association, Director of the Central Dermatology Hospital, emphasized the importance of proactive prevention to minimize the serious consequences of shingles.

The medical burden of shingles

Postherpetic neuralgia can last for weeks, months, or even years, which can disrupt daily activities, reduce the patient's quality of life, and put a lot of pressure on caregivers.

According to data from the Central Dermatology Hospital, in 2022, the hospital recorded 62% of cases with post-herpetic neuralgia complications. Notably, more than 70% of cases occurred in people over 50 years old with an average hospital stay of 6.6 days.

Associate Professor, Dr. Le Huu Doanh said: " Patients with shingles have to bear direct costs for inpatient treatment, secondary care, outpatient treatment, medicine...

Notably, patients with shingles-related complications incur 42% higher costs than patients without complications, primarily due to increased inpatient services. This does not include indirect costs such as reduced productivity and other burdens on caregivers of older patients with shingles.”

The role of doctors in the prevention of shingles

At the conference, Associate Professor, Dr. Le Huu Doanh emphasized the important role of treating physicians in advising patients on early prevention of shingles. In particular, the reference document "Prevention of shingles with vaccines" is the basis for medical staff to refer to and advise patients on shingles prevention, especially for those with underlying diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Associate Professor, Dr. Le Huu Doanh said: “ The vaccination strategy helps reduce the risk of shingles and the burden of complications from shingles. Physicians play an important role in preventing shingles, especially in patients with underlying diseases, and integrating vaccination into routine clinical practice. Doing this well helps significantly reduce the disease burden for patients in particular and the health system in general .”

The reference document “Prevention of shingles with vaccines” was jointly prepared by the Vietnam Medical Association, leading experts from specialized medical associations and GSK Vietnam Pharmaceutical Company Limited (GSK Vietnam). The document provides information on the impact of shingles in people over 50 years old and with comorbidities, and at the same time guides on shingles prevention, supporting the effective implementation of the Ministry of Health 's guidelines on shingles in routine practice.

The Vietnamese Ministry of Health issued Guidelines for Diagnosis and Treatment of Dermatological Diseases in December 2023. Accordingly, disease prevention guidelines include control of elderly people with chronic diseases, high-risk factors, and use of vaccines.

Ha An

Source: https://vtcnews.vn/quan-ly-du-phong-benh-zona-huong-dan-cua-bo-y-te-va-hoi-da-lieu-viet-nam-ar911243.html