Migraines linked to increased heart disease risk in women

Conclusion This study shows a strong link between migraine and cardiovascular disease, extending the link already found between migraine and stroke. However, many questions remain. We don't know if the results are relevant to men who have migraines, as all the people in the study were women. We also don't know if the results apply to non-white populations, as most of the women in the study were white. Previous studies on stroke have shown that the group at highest risk is who get an "aura" before a migraine – sensation(s) that tells them the migraine is on its way. But this study did not ask people about aura, so we don't know whether it's only people with aura who are at risk of heart disease. We don't know what causes the increased risk of cardiovascular disease for people with migraine. Although the researchers took into account a wide range of confounding factors, it's possible that some unaccounted factors were responsible for the link. Alternatively, a third underlying factor might cause both cardiovascular problems and migraine. Until we fully understand what's behind the link, it's too early to know whether treatments for migraine – or any other treatments – will help reduce the risk, or could possibly make it worse. As the editorial in the BMJ points out, aspirin – often used to prevent cardiovascular disease because of its blood-thinning properties – was found to actually increase the risk of heart attacks in women who had migraines with a...
Source: NHS News Feed - Category: Consumer Health News Tags: Heart/lungs Neurology Source Type: news