Migraine Pattern Linked to Heart Attack Risk

Women with a certain pattern of migraine headaches may be more likely to have a heart attack, a study has found. The study included about 28,000 women, age 45 or older. More than 3,500 women had migraines. Some had migraines with aura. They would see flashing lights or have blurred vision before a headache. During the 12-year study, 1 out of 100 women had a heart attack. Heart attack rates were twice the average in women who had a migraine with aura less than once a month. No increased risk was seen with women who had migraines more often or without aura. An earlier study in this group found four times the average risk of stroke among women who had migraines with aura once a week. The new study appeared in the journal Neurology. HealthDay News wrote about it June 24.