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Cardiovascular risk factors and migraine: the GEM population-based study
A I Scher1, G M Terwindt, H S J Picavet
1Laboratory of Epidemiology, Demography, and Biometry, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA. ascher@usuhs.mil
Neurology
|February 25, 2005
Summary
Migraine, especially with aura, is linked to increased cardiovascular disease risk factors. This study found migraineurs have higher risks for conditions like elevated blood pressure and unfavorable cholesterol levels.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Cardiology
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Migraine, particularly migraine with aura, is a known risk factor for early-onset ischemic stroke.
- The precise mechanisms linking migraine to stroke remain unclear but may involve shared cardiovascular disease risk profiles.
- This research investigates the cardiovascular risk factors in adult migraineurs compared to non-migraineurs.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the cardiovascular risk profile of adult migraineurs with that of non-migraineurs.
- To identify specific cardiovascular risk factors associated with migraine, particularly migraine with aura.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from the population-based Genetic Epidemiology of Migraine (GEM) study in the Netherlands (n = 5,755).
- Identified 620 current migraineurs (31% with aura, 64% without aura) and 5,135 controls.
- Assessed cardiovascular risk factors including blood pressure, cholesterol levels (TC, HDL), smoking, oral contraceptive use, and Framingham risk score.
Main Results:
- Migraineurs showed higher rates of smoking and a parental history of early myocardial infarction compared to controls.
- Migraineurs with aura exhibited unfavorable cholesterol profiles, elevated blood pressure, and a history of early-onset cardiovascular events.
- Migraineurs with aura had approximately double the odds of an elevated Framingham risk score for coronary heart disease.
Conclusions:
- Adult migraineurs, especially those with aura, possess a significantly higher cardiovascular risk profile.
- Findings suggest a need for increased cardiovascular risk assessment in migraine patients, particularly those with aura.