Migraines With Flashing Lights Could Signal A Heart Attack, Study
03/04/2013
by
Joseph
Migraines might forewarn serious health threats, a new study suggests. According to recent research findings released by the American Academy of Neurology, women who experience migraines with auras may be at risk of heart attacks and blood clots.
In the study, researchers found that migraines with auras contributed to stroke and heart attacks. Of the 27,860 women participating in the Women's Health Study, which looked at how vascular risk factors contributed to cardiovascular events, 1,030 cases of heart attack, stroke or fatality due to cardiovascular disease occurred during 15 years of follow up. Researchers also noted 1,435 of the women reported migraine headache with aura.
Researcher Tobias Kurth of Brigham and Women's Hospital and the French National Institute of Health and Medical Research in Bordeaux said:"After high blood pressure migraine with aura was the second strongest single contributor to risk of heart attacks and strokes. It came ahead of diabetes, current smoking, obesity and family history of early heart disease."
Kurth pointed out that even though migraine with aura is associated with increased the risk of heart attack or stroke, not all people experiencing migraine with aura will suffer a cardiovascular event.
How Do Migraines, Heart Attacks and Obesity Come Together?
Associations between vascular health and migraine with aura has been known for some time. For example, the results of a meta-analysis published in a 2009 issue of BMJ found an association between migraine with aura and cardiovascular disease.
In that study, Tobias Kurth, working with other scientific investigators found that migraine with aura was associated with a two fold increase of ischemic stroke.
Ischemic strokes are caused by damage to vessels supplying blood to the brain.
Migraines are a complex neurological disorder that starts in the brain and spreads to the blood vessels. Migraines accompanied by aura cause the sufferer to experience flashing lights or other visual disturbances due to problems with blood flow within the brain.
It's important to consider how obesity may affect migraine symptoms and cardiovascular disease. Obesity increases cardiovascular risk because fatty buildup in the blood vessels could trigger heart attack or stroke.
Taken together it becomes easier for researchers to look for associations between the cardiovascular system and migraines.
There is evidence that obesity can worsen migraine symptoms. Dale S. Bond from The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University published a report in Obesity Reviews theorizing that weight loss intervention may lessen migraine headaches.
Since there is evidence that body weight can trigger migraine episodes, it's important to lead a healthy lifestyle. We should also include meditation and communion with God as part of a healthy lifestyle. When the mind is at peace it can also have a calming effect on the body as well.
Kurth, when presenting the results of his findings from the WHS to the American Academy of Neurology said that women suffering migraines with aura could reduce their risk of heart attack by keeping the blood pressure in check, maintaining a healthy weight and participating in exercise.
God is always telling us something for our good, we must be willing to listen to Him.
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Article Sources
Migraine with Aura May Lead to Heart Attack, Blood Clots for Women - American Academy of Neurology Press Release
Schurks, M., Rist, P., Bigal, M., Buring, J., Lipton, R., & Kurth, T. (2009). Migraine and cardiovascular disease: systematic review and meta-analysis BMJ, 339 (oct27 1) DOI: 10.1136/bmj.b3914
Bond, D., Roth, J., Nash, J., & Wing, R. (2011). Migraine and obesity: epidemiology, possible mechanisms and the potential role of weight loss treatment Obesity Reviews, 12 (5) DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-789X.2010.00791.x
"Migraines With Flashing Lights Could Signal A Heart Attack, Study" copyright © 2013 Living Fit, Healthy and Happy(SM). All Rights Reserved.
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