Migraine may be the 'indicator' of ischemic stroke
Both men and women who suffer from migraine have a higher risk of having an ischemic stroke. For women, in particular, migraine is also linked to an increased likelihood of having a myocardial infarction and a hemorrhagic stroke. This is supported by a study by the University of Aarhus, in Denmark, published yesterday in the journal PLOS Medicine. The relationship between migraine and stroke risk was one of the central themes of the second edition of the "Rome Peripheral Interventions" meeting which recently concluded in Rome.
The purpose of the event - sponsored by the Italian Society of Interventional Cardiology (GISE), by the Italian Association of Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology (Ainr) and by the Italian Society of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery (Sicve) - was to provide the most recent updates on clinical evidence and current and future possibilities in the endovascular treatment of extra-coronary pathologies.
Migraine, FDA ok on first nasal spray that works in 15 minutes
"Brain stroke, ischemic or haemorrhagic, is the first cause of disability in adults and the third cause of death after cardiovascular disease and oncological diseases - underlines John Esposito, ordinary professor of Cardiology and director of the UOC of Cardiology, Hemodynamics and Utic of the Federico II University Hospital of Naples and president of GISE - . It is not a disease that affects only the elderly, but also young people. In Italy, there are about 150,000 new cases of cerebral stroke a year, of which 4,200 affect people under the age of 45 and 10,000 under the age of 54".
I study
The Danish study was based on the analysis of medical records collected from 1996 to 2018, relating to individuals aged between 18 and 60 years. The researchers identified men and women who suffered from migraine based on drug prescription data and compared their risk of ischemic and hemorrhagic heart attack and stroke before age 60 with that of people in the general population without migraine.
Heart door
Migraine, because closing a "hole" in the heart could help cure it
by Federico Mereta
Women most at risk
"The analysis showed that both men and women who suffered from migraines had an increased risk of ischemic stroke," explains Esposito. "In particular, women who suffered from migraines were also found to be at a higher risk of myocardial infarction and haemorrhagic stroke, compared to men with migraine and the general population without migraine.Since myocardial infarction and stroke can cause lifelong disability or even death, identifying migraine as a possible early recognition of those most at risk and to prepare interventions and targeted preventive therapies".
The reason for the association between migraine and cardiovascular disease is still unclear. "There may be links to genetic factors or common risk factors between stroke and migraine, such as hypertension, obesity and smoking and drug use - Esposito points out -. However, more research is needed to understand and explain the relationship between migraine and cardiovascular risk" .
Because with autumn, migraines get worse
by Dario Rubino
