Migraines Associated with Heart Disease & Stroke

 

Migraines and Heart Disease

Experts have revealed that migraine sufferers are at a significantly higher risk for heart disease and stroke deaths. As a matter of fact they have concluded that migraine sufferers have a 21% greater chance of dying from any disease if the migraines they have are accompanied by Aura. Aura is a sensory disturbance that happens before or during a migraine event.

Individual analysis of individual diseases found that people that suffer migraines with aura are 27% more likely to die of cardiovascular disease then those who suffer migraines without aura.

Analyzed even further the reports show that migraine suffers who have accompanied aura have a 28% higher risk of dying from heart disease and a 40% risk of dying from stroke.

Although the study shares some hard and fast numbers the researchers behind the study claim that the absolute risks for migraine suffers with accompanied aura are still low.

The study, published online in the British Medical Journal (BMJ), examined data from 18,725 men and women born between 1907 and 1935 and living in Iceland.

At the start of the study, when people were aged 53 on average, they filled in questionnaires about their health and underwent physical examinations, including blood tests.

The group was then followed for up to 40 years to assess the impact of migraine on sufferers compared with non-sufferers.

The team of experts, led by Larus Gudmundsson from the University of Iceland, noted that people who suffer the most frequent attacks of migraine with aura could have the highest risks.

This study has direct correlation to studies on heart disease and inflammation. It’s possible that migraines cause inflammation that could result in a higher risk of heart disease.