Results of Harvard migraine study in women: Cause for concern?
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services notes that three of four people with migraines are women, and recent published results of a migraine study published last week on CBS News indicates some concerning statistics.
Results of the study were presented in Chicago last week by a team of Harvard Medical School researchers at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Neurology. Their findings suggest that women who get migraines on a weekly basis are at a significantly greater risk for stroke than those having infrequent episodes. Those with fewer and more infrequent episodes showed a higher incidence of heart attack.
There has long been a supporting link between migraines and vascular events, but until now, there has not been any significant research on the role of migraine frequency and occurrence of heart attack and stroke.
The Harvard study followed 27,798 female health professionals age 45 and older with no cadiovascular disease when joining the study. Their baseline cholesterol levels and personal migraine history were documented at the beginning of the research.
After twelve years, researchers observed 305 heart attacks, 310 ischemic strokes
and 706 cardiovascular events among the research subjects.
Their conclusions: Women with weekly (or more frequent) migraines were three times more likely to have a stroke and about 50% more likely to have a heart attack as women without migraines.
Women with infrequent migraines, less than one a month, were one and a half times more likely to have stroke or heart attack.
Interestingly, women who had one migraine a month on a regular basis showed no increased risk.
While producing these solid results, researchers also concluded that the mechanisms of the migraine as associated with cardiovascular episodes are still rather unclear. What is the connection? They suggest that more scientific information could be gained by studying migraine prevention.
So, take heart...while this seems to be concerning news for female migraine sufferers, scientists agree that the "cause-and-effect" mechanism bears more study.
What has your experience been? Do you--or someone you know with migraines---have heart disease? Had a stroke or heart attack? If so, let us know.
However, as noted, be aware that other factors have been shown to be directly linked to heart attack and stoke, including diet, smoking, exercise and family history.
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/04/18/health/webmd/main4026272....
Results of the study were presented in Chicago last week by a team of Harvard Medical School researchers at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Neurology. Their findings suggest that women who get migraines on a weekly basis are at a significantly greater risk for stroke than those having infrequent episodes. Those with fewer and more infrequent episodes showed a higher incidence of heart attack.
There has long been a supporting link between migraines and vascular events, but until now, there has not been any significant research on the role of migraine frequency and occurrence of heart attack and stroke.
The Harvard study followed 27,798 female health professionals age 45 and older with no cadiovascular disease when joining the study. Their baseline cholesterol levels and personal migraine history were documented at the beginning of the research.
After twelve years, researchers observed 305 heart attacks, 310 ischemic strokes
and 706 cardiovascular events among the research subjects.
Their conclusions: Women with weekly (or more frequent) migraines were three times more likely to have a stroke and about 50% more likely to have a heart attack as women without migraines.
Women with infrequent migraines, less than one a month, were one and a half times more likely to have stroke or heart attack.
Interestingly, women who had one migraine a month on a regular basis showed no increased risk.
While producing these solid results, researchers also concluded that the mechanisms of the migraine as associated with cardiovascular episodes are still rather unclear. What is the connection? They suggest that more scientific information could be gained by studying migraine prevention.
So, take heart...while this seems to be concerning news for female migraine sufferers, scientists agree that the "cause-and-effect" mechanism bears more study.
What has your experience been? Do you--or someone you know with migraines---have heart disease? Had a stroke or heart attack? If so, let us know.
However, as noted, be aware that other factors have been shown to be directly linked to heart attack and stoke, including diet, smoking, exercise and family history.
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/04/18/health/webmd/main4026272....
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Emily V on -
Wow, that is scary news for women with migraines, Wendy. I guess the positive side of this study is that it may raise awareness about these increased risks, so migraine sufferers can be on the lookout for stroke and heart attack symptoms. These WEGO Health pages have some good information on the warning signs:
Stroke Symptom
Stroke Warning Sign
Symptom of Heart Disease in Woman
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Permalink Reply by Janeen on -
This is a very interesting study! I've long suspected that migraines and risk of stroke could have a correlation. IMO, nothing can hurt that badly in your head and NOT have a risk of stroke associated with it. When I first started getting migraines I thought I WAS having a stroke.
That being said, I would be in the category of "women who had one migraine a month on a regular basis showed no increased risk". At current time I don't suffer from heart disease, but it does run in my family and my father had his first heart attack at age 40.
I'd like to see more research on done on this.
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