The hidden dangers of a headache
Here's what could be putting you at risk
Here's what could be putting you at risk
Here's what could be putting you at risk
Suffer from frequent, throbbing headaches? Your productivity might not be the only thing in danger. People who experience migraines — severe, throbbing headaches that are usually confided on one side of the head and can come with nausea and light sensitivity — are at higher risk of heart problems than those without the condition, out of Denmark suggests.
In the study published in January 2018, researchers pulled health records over a period of 19 years from about 50,000 people who suffered from migraines and over 500,000 people who didn’t. Over that time, migraine sufferers were more than twice as likely to experience an ischemic stroke — the most common kind of stroke, caused by an artery blockage in the brain — 49 percent more likely to have a heart attack, 59 percent more likely to have and 25 percent more likely to have an irregular heartbeat.
In particular, the chances of experiencing a stroke were much higher within the first year of the migraine diagnosis. Both men and women were at risk, but women were at a higher risk, according to the study.
One possible reason? Something called a vasospasm in the arteries of your brain, explains study author Kasper Adelborg, M.D., Ph.D. A vasospasm — the constricting and narrowing of blood vessels that blocks blood flow — can lead to a migraine, but it can also boost your chances of having a stroke, too.
As for the heart risks, it’s possible that the medication many people take to control the pain from migraines might be playing a role, too. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs like ibuprofen or naproxen) have been shown to . That’s because they may trigger abnormal clotting of the blood.
It’s important to recognize that the absolute risk of experiencing such problems was still pretty low. Take a heart attack, for instance. For every 1,000 people with migraines, 25 experienced a heart attack over the 19-year period studied compared to 17 without migraines.
The low risk is in part because the people in the study were relatively young, with an average age in their mid-30s. Things like heart attacks and strokes aren’t all that common to begin with in that age group.
But even that small increase in risk can be significant.
More studies need to be done to determine if migraines need to be treated differently to alleviate these heart risks — in particular, whether people with a higher risk of heart problems should also be taking blood thinners in addition to their NSAIDs, Adelborg said.
In the meantime, if you’re suffering from any kind of recurring headache, talk to your doctor. He or she can help you determine if you’re suffering from migraines, and if so, which treatment is most appropriate. Plus, your doctor can also monitor things like blood pressure and cholesterol levels, which can help gauge your risk of heart disease.