migraines/heart disease connection

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hensylee

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From Richard N. Fogoros, M.D.,
Your Guide to Heart Disease / Cardiology.
Stay up to date!
Women with auras have higher risk of heart attack
By DrRich
It has long been known that there is an association between migraine headaches and the risk of stroke. This association is strongest in migraine sufferers who experience aura prior to the headache itself. The aura consists of one or more unusual symptoms - such as flashing lights, confusion, or even partial paralysis - preceding an actual migraine attack. It is thought to be the result of vascular constriction or spasm within the brain. Teri Roberts, Headache Guide at About.com, has an excellent description of the phases of migraine, here.

Because aura is thought to represent "hyperactive" blood vessels, and because it is associated with an increased incidence of stroke, researchers have wondered whether migraine in general, or aura in particular, might produce an excess risk for other vascular events.

A study published in the July 19 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association shows that this is indeed the case.
Investigators studied over 27,000 women enrolled in the Women's Health Study, all of whom had no evidence of cardiovascular disease at the time of enrollment. Of these, 5125 had a history of migraine, and 1434 reported having aura prior to their migraine attacks. During the course of the study, women with aura (but not those with migraine unaccompanied by aura) had a significantly increased risk of cardiovascular events (such as heart attack, angina, coronary artery disease requiring bypass or angioplasty/stenting, or cardiovascular death). Investigators attributed an additional 18 cardiovascular events per 10,000 women per year to migraine with aura.

DrRich Comments:

This study does not answer the question of why there is increased cardiovascular risk in people who have migraine with aura. Several possibilities exist, including the hyperactive blood vessels that accompany aura, the release of substances into the blood vessels that can trigger blood clotting or accelerated plaque formation, or a genetic link between migraine with aura and cardiovascular disease. What this study does indicate is that, if you have migraine attacks with aura, you should pay special attention to modifying cardiovascular risk factors that you can control, like lipids, inactivity, obesity, hypertension and smoking.

New studies will be required to determine whether controlling migraine attacks with medication might itself reduce the cardiovascular risk.

Teri Roberts' excellent site gives a wealth of information on migraine, its manifestations and control. Highly recommended

Sources:

Kurth T, Gaziano JM, Cook NR, et al. Migraine and risk of cardiovascular disease in women. JAMA2006; 296:283-291.[/link]

Created: July 21, 2006
Richard N. Fogoros, M.D., is a former cardiologist, electrophysiologist, professor of medicine and author of popular introductory textbooks on electrophysiology. He is currently self-employed as a writer and as a consultant to the biomedical industry.
 
A coincidence!

A coincidence!

Hi,

I sent the following in an email to my brother just half an hour ago!
"Having read some things recently, I am of the opinion that
my migraines, [and] my heart issue... are inextricably linked."

We are having an ongoing discussion about how modern medicine compartmentalises everything, treating symptoms rather than the underlying issues. I am of the mind that other aspects of myself are also linked.

I was reading on the site recently about Bicuspid Aortic Valve Disease, which is a connective tisue disorder, involved multiple issues. I have some of the linked elements. However, these things are never adressed by the medical profession as a whole. My heart issue is never set in context with my wider health issues.

It increasingly seems to me that things are addressed in isolation, whereas we should really in the longer term seek to address these things as part of a holistic approach to our health. It seems to make a lot more sense.
 
Is this connection only found in women? or did they study women since they make up the majority of migraine sufferers?
I ask cause I am a male and have been suffering from migraines since I was small, and the reason I got my heart checked recently was because Id been having more migraines(with aura, Ive been getting headaches often as well though) the past couple of months, so I went to get a med for it, then he heard my heart and here I am.
Im not sure if mine would be linked other than genetically sine my heart problems are congenital.
Just wondering, would be an interesting connection
-LC-
 
"Investigators studied over 27,000 women enrolled in the Women's Health Study, all of whom had no evidence of cardiovascular disease at the time of enrollment. "

This study was done only on women, according to the article. If Dr Rich does an article on men and migraines, I will put it here.
 
I think there is a connection here. I only have visual auras, but I did not have them until a year from before being diagonses with MVP.
 
aura

aura

I have heart disease and valve problems. I have auras for 20 years, but I do not get the headache. Mine is flashing lights that starts in the center of my eye and moves out. It lasts for about 20 minutes. I am probably facing surgery soon. Does any of the information mention aura without the headache. The dr told me that some people get auras without the headache.
 
I have had auras with headaches since I was 9. As I get older, I have the same amount of auras but less of them are followed by headaches - YEAH!!!!!
If there is a connection with migraine auras and clotting, I am sure glad I am on coumadin.
 
tobagotwo said:
Dr. Rich has to be married. To deal for such a long time with so many women who have headaches would require extensive personal experience...

:D

Just my own experience . . . I've never claimed a headache, at bedtime, in over 30 years of marriage.:p :p :p
 
My husband had migranes starting as a small child, with auras he has described as looking like kaleidescopes. He said they were terrible, with nausea and vomitting to follow the head pain. Nothing ever controlled them until Ibuprofen came along. He was able to take 2 ibuprofen at the onset of visual disturbance, and the pain would be minimal. Since his AVR in Sept 05, he had only had 2 auras with no pain. He has never been so free of migranes since I have known him. Very strange!
 
There was an article in the Los Angeles Times Health section today about how a tiny hole in the heart's chambers contributes to migraines. Can't really explain the correlation. I know it doesn't relate to this thread's subject, but thought it was interesting nonetheless.
 
Ann, thanks for posting this. I believe these visual disturbances that we've discussed for years on these boards are more complex than once believed. This is pretty timely too since I actually had two of them today, back to back. I'm with Gina on this one, I can only hope that the Coumadin and the Plavix that I take, along with my physical activity, can only help matters. It is daunting to read though.

You know, one of these days, I'm going to post a poll to see how many of us have these things. I'd be curious to see the numbers.
 
You know, it's kind of interesting, I just realized that my first migraine occurred around the time the doctors think I had RF. I wonder if the onset of migraines with valvers coincide with the onset of the valve problems. Obviously that wouldn't be the case with BAV patients but I wonder about the others.
 
I used to get them at work and finally realized that If I lay down for awhile or went home, I could mayabe avoid the headache. I get the aura, as described below by Marilyn, these days, without the headache. And, yes, I did have a heart attack in Dec, 1999
 
marilyn said:
I have heart disease and valve problems. I have auras for 20 years, but I do not get the headache. Mine is flashing lights that starts in the center of my eye and moves out. It lasts for about 20 minutes. I am probably facing surgery soon. Does any of the information mention aura without the headache. The dr told me that some people get auras without the headache.

Try this site.
http://www.migraine-aura.org/EN/index.html
 
Mary said:
Just my own experience . . . I've never claimed a headache, at bedtime, in over 30 years of marriage.
So, is it 30 years of marriage prevents headaches, or that not having headaches allows the marriage to survive 30 years? :D
Back to the thread' I never had migraine auras until after the surgery, now its like 5 a week but fortunately no headache afterwards.
 
I started having ocular migraines about 5 years before my surgery; by my reckoning, it's probably when my mv began to fail. They've almost disappeared since surgery - maybe a couple a year. I've never had the headaches.
 
I'm male, and have suffered from migraine disease for about 12 years now. Most of mine have been of the "aura" variety, followed by a few hours of head pain and then sometimes a day or two of a migraine hangover. It was pretty awful when I was trying to teach kids in a public school setting (and no, my migraines were not caused by 'noise' or 'stress.' :) )

I'm convinced there is a blood/heart connection with regard to migraine as well.

I had REALLY reduced the number of auras I'd had, until I had to go in for my cath. The evening after I had it, I had 2 auras back to back. Then nothing, until after I was discharged from the hospital after my OHS. Then I had at least 2 auras per day, some of which mimiced TIA's. When I've mentioned this occular phenomena to nurses, doctors and my cardiologist, they all look at me like I'm from another planet! They've just "never heard of that...." I'm like, REALLY!

I think a 'poll' about this topic would be very interesting, indeed.

Chris
 
Me, too

Me, too

Hello, hello!

I've had a few auras preceding a migraine, I'm sorry to say! And I have heart disease. I haven't had a migraine with a visual disturbance in several years though.

I remember my oncologist saying in late 2000 that if I have another one, he wants me to see a neurologist. This was perhaps the very first sign that something was "up" with my health. Severe chest pain started around then, too.

Hensylee, thank goodness you made it! I didn't have a heart attack but wonder if and when I might.

I've missed y'all -- I'm almost finished with my book and will post it when it's available for purchasing. (I don't need the money but hope y'all read it for the sake for "knowing" me!)

Best,
 
Kim,

Looking forward to your book. I am writing one as well (fiction) but finishing it is a bit down the road. I did just finish a children's book and it is with the illustrator. I will be happy when it is all together.

Please do let us know when yours is available.
 
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