Migraines and Cardiovascular Disease

According to recent studies, migraines often come hand in hand with cardiovascular disease.

The article "Migraine: A Connection To Cardiovascular Disease?" by Harvard Health Publishing, "about one in six adults in the United States reports having migraines, but these debilitating headaches are three times more prevalent in women"(Harvard Health Publishing, 2023). When these attacks occur, "people often feel nauseated and are sensitive to light and sound. And up to a third of migraineurs experience odd visual or physical sensations known as an aura" (Harvard Health Publishing, 2023). This "aura" refers to "a visual or sensory disturbance that strikes within the hour before the headache takes hold. The vision changes often include a blind spot, known as a scotoma, that affects both eyes but just one side of the visual field" (Harvard Health Publishing, 2023). However, there are several types of auras which can occur with a migraine. The article describes how, "An aura can also cause tingling on one side of the body, especially in the face or hand. Occasionally, people experience language auras that cause transient speaking problems, which can also occur with a stroke or ministroke. Very rarely, an aura will cause one-sided weakness in a leg, arm, or the face; this is known as a hemiplegic migraine. Again, these symptoms can also occur with a stroke or ministroke" (Harvard Health Publishing, 2023). A more scientific article discusses this connection between aura migraines and CVD at greater length.

The article "Migraine and Cardiovascular Disease: Possible Mechanisms of Interaction," written by M.E. Bigal and others, discusses how "individuals with migraines have a higher prevalence of risk factors known to be associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD), including hypertension, diabetes, and hyperlipidemia" (Bigal et al., 2009). Furthermore, people with CVD tend to suffer migraines with aura instead of without, and "since the evidence linking migraine and CVD is getting robust, neurologists should be aware of the association" (Bigal et al., 2009). The symptom of the aura theoreticaly occurs because of the "cortical spreading depression (CSD), the presumed substrate of aura, may predispose to brain lesions by reducing cerebral blood flow and by activating a cascade of inflammatory events: (Bigal et al., 2009). While the association between CVD and migraine is clear, the degree of the association between these two medical issues, has been questioned.

According to the article, it is a fact that there is a link because"the association between migraine and ischemic vascular events has been studied for many years" (Bigal et al., 2009). However, "the link between migraine without aura (MO) and cardiovascular events may be disputed since the evidence is not consistent, migraine with aura (MA) is an established risk factor for subclinical ischemic lesions of the brain, as well as for ischemic stroke, particularly among women of younger age"  (Bigal et al., 2009). As such, anyone with CVD, especially if they are female, should be aware of the risk factors for migraines as well.

As someone who has experienced migraines, most frequently migraines with aura, I concur, through my personal experiences, with these findings. I have them frequently, but manage them through diet, exercise, and sleep. Yet, even so, despite my efforts. I still often get them a few times a week.

Can anyone relate?

Reference List:

Bigal, M.E., Kurth, T., Hu, H., Santanello, N. and Lipton, R.B. (2009). Migraine and Cardiovascular Disease: Possible Mechanisms of Interaction. Neurology, 72(21), pp.1864–1871. doi:https://doi.org/10.1212/wnl.0b013e3181a71220.

Harvard Health Publishing (2023). Migraine: A Connection To Cardiovascular Disease? [online] Harvard Health. Available at: https://www.health.harvard.edu/heart-health/migraine-a-connection-to-cardiovascular-disease.