Severe Migraines In Women Increase Risk Of Heart Disease And Stroke
Women suffering from severe migraines often have warning signs or “auras” minutes before the debilitating headaches take hold. They see wavy lines, spots or flashings lights; some people also feel numbness in their hands. Studies now show that women who have migraines with auras, and a certain mutation in their genes, may have a high risk for heart disease and stroke.
Migraines, heart disease and strokes are all health issues related, in some fashion, to blood vessels. Clots or leaks in blood vessels within the brain cause strokes, and unusual changes in pressure within the brain’s blood vessels are thought associated with migraine headaches. Clots or damage to blood vessels in the heart can lead to coronary disease.
These connections have led researchers to study how often severe migraines might be associated with cardiovascular disease and stroke particularly in women because women are more likely than men to have migraine headaches.
One report, the Women’s Health Study published in 2006, looked at more than 27,000 US participants aged 45 years or older over a period of 12 years.
