Headache and the risk of stroke

Several studies have suggested that migraine is a risk factor for stroke. The association between migraine and the risk of stroke has been observed most often among premenopausal women but also in some studies among men. The association may be stronger among women who smoke and among women using oral contraceptives compared with nonsmokers and nonusers. Classic migraine with aura may be a more powerful predictor of stroke than common migraine without aura. Findings of a recent population-based study suggest that subclinical brain lesions are more common among migraine patients, particularly among those with aura, than among the control subjects. Two cohort studies have shown that chronic non-specific headache also is related to increased stroke risk. The effect of treatment of migraine and other types of headache on the risk of stroke is not known. Even though the relative risk of stroke may be fairly high among migraine patients, the absolute risk is usually low due to low baseline risk among young people.