Written by Administrator| 23 February, 2005 07:39 GMT
People with migraine with aura symptoms were 43 percent more likely to have high cholesterol, 76 percent more likely to have high blood pressure, and nearly four times as likely to report a history of either stroke or heart disease before the age of 45.
Migraine headache sufferers, as a group, are more at risk for cardiovascular disease than those without migraines, according to a new study published in the February 22 issue of Neurology, the scientific journal of the American Academy of Neurology. Those who experience "auras" prior to the onset of a migraine -- that is, visual or other types of hallucinations -- have particularly risky cardiovascular profiles.
The large population-based study was conducted among 5,755 participants in the Netherlands. Researchers identified 620 people with migraine in the group from 5,135 people without migraine.
One third of those with migraines experienced aura symptoms before a headache occurred.
Migraine with Aura Increases Early Stroke Risk
"For reasons that are not yet clear, people with migraine -- particularly those with aura -- may be more likely to present with risk factors associated with cardiovascular conditions," says lead author Ann Scher, PhD, of Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences and the National Institute on Aging in Bethesda, Maryland.
"It is known that migraine with aura increases the risk of stroke before the age of 45, although the reason for this is not yet clear. Understanding the role of classic risk factors for cardiovascular disease in migraine sufferers might help to understand why people with migraine with aura are at increased risk for early-onset stroke."
Smoking, High Cholesterol, Hypertension Links
The study indicates that those with migraine were considered 43 percent more likely to be smokers, though less likely to consume alcohol.
People with migraine with aura symptoms were 43 percent more likely to have high cholesterol (240 or greater) and 76 percent more likely to have high blood pressure. They were nearly four times as likely to report a history of either stroke or heart disease before the age of 45.
Pill Connection
Women with migraine were twice as likely to be using oral contraceptives. Women with migraine also were more likely to report a history of high blood pressure during pregnancy (gestational hypertension) than those without migraine.
The findings suggest there may be a shared predisposition toward both migraine and heart disease, says Lenore Launer, PhD, of the National Institute on Aging and the senior author on the study. Men with migraine were almost twice as likely to have a father with a history of early heart attack. Both men and women with migraine overall were 1.78 times more likely to have a mother with a history of early heart attack. |
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