Women With Migraine With Aura May Have Higher Risk of Heart Attack and Blood Clots

This article discusses health concerns for women who have migraines with aura. Such health concerns include cardiovascular problems such as heart attach and stroke.

Women who have migraines with aura, which are often visual disturbances such as flashing lights, may be more likely to have problems with their heart and blood vessels, and those on newer contraceptives may be at higher risk for blood clots, according to two studies released today that will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology's 65th Annual Meeting in San Diego, March 16 to 23, 2013.

The first study showed that migraine with aura is a strong contributor to the development of major cardiovascular events such as heart attack and stroke. The Women's Health Study involved 27,860 women, 1,435 of whom had migraine with aura. During the 15-year study, there were 1,030 cases of heart attack, stroke or death from a cardiovascular cause. The study examined the relative contribution of various vascular risk factors to these major cardiovascular events.

"After high blood pressure, migraine with aura was the second strongest single contributor to risk of heart attacks and strokes," said study author Tobias Kurth, MD, ScD, of INSERM, the French National Institute of Health and Medical Research in Bordeaux and Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston. Kurth is also a Fellow of the American Academy of Neurology. "It came ahead of diabetes, current smoking, obesity, and family history of early heart disease."

Kurth cautioned that while people with migraine with aura have an increased risk, it does not mean that everyone with migraine with aura will have a heart attack or stroke. He said people with migraine with aura can reduce their risk in the same ways others can, such as not smoking, keeping blood pressure low and weight down and exercising.

The second study looked at women with migraine who take hormonal contraceptives and the occurrence of blood clots. The study involved women with migraine with and without aura who were taking both newer contraceptives such as the contraceptive patch and ring and older contraceptives. Of the 145,304 women who used the contraceptives, 2,691 had migraine with aura and 3,437 had migraine without aura.

Women with migraine with aura were more likely to have experienced blood clot complications such as deep vein thrombosis with all types of contraceptives than women with migraine without aura. For example, 7.6 percent of women with migraine with aura who used a newer generation combined hormonal contraceptive had deep vein thrombosis compared to 6.3 percent of women with migraine without aura, but the timing of the two events is not clear. The occurrence of blood clot complications was also higher in women with migraine who took contraceptives than women taking the contraceptives who did not have migraine.

"Women who have migraine with aura should be sure to include this information in their medical history and talk to their doctors about the possible higher risks of newer contraceptives, given their condition," said study author Shivang Joshi, MD, MPH, RPh, of Brigham and Women's Falkner Hospital in Boston and a member of the American Academy of Neurology.

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Five "Natural" Cures for Migraines

A few points about herbals and supplements as a critique. 

"Natural" does not mean inert. Fever few and butterburr can have side effects and the long term effects are not known. One active component of feverfew "parthenolide" can induce cell death in in-vitro cancer models...whoa.....I suggest great caution in using these in children and young people.

Dont forget riboflavin! B2 is water soluble.

Reliability of these preparations can vary almost 40 fold. 

But who can argue with exercise, good posture, trigger elimination and good sleep? JR


This article discusses five natural treatments that may help cure your migraines.

A debilitating headache or migraine will not only put a damper on your day, it will stop you in your tracks and have you running for a dark room and cool head cloth. If you find yourself regularly reaching for pain relievers, you may want to implement these natural headache treatments and migraine remedies for taking the edge off.

Identify your triggers: In my clinical practice I have seen patients eliminate their migraines just by discovering their food allergies. In fact, I had one patient discover that the grapefruit she had enjoyed each morning with her breakfast for over 20 years was the instigator behind her pounding headaches. To determine the true culprit behind your distress I recommend doing a two week elimination diet. This includes the removal of all of the most common food allergies (all grains that contain gluten, dairy, citrus, peanuts, caffeine, sugar and soy). After the 14-day removal period you should slowly reintroduce the foods one at a time. By doing so, any physical or mental symptoms related to the food can be isolated. Don’t just be on the lookout for headaches. Common symptoms of a food allergy include: gas, bloating, constipation, headaches/migraines, fatigue immediately after eating the food, fatigue on waking the next day, or a gradual decline in energy, irritability, anxiety, headaches, water retention (can’t get your rings off) and dark circles under the eyes.

Straighten up your posture: Tight muscles in the neck and traps can be a one way ticket to head pain, especially when it’s linked to weak back and neck muscles, and poor posture. Acupuncture (http://nccam.nih.gov/health/acupuncture/acupuncture-for-pain.htm), chiropractic, massage and osteopathic manual therapy have all been shown to alleviate tight muscles and reduce pain sensors. In one study chronic tension headache sufferers received structured massage therapy treatment directed toward neck and shoulder muscles. Researchers found that the treatment was effective in reducing both the number and duration of headaches. For best results, ask your practitioner for some homework to do in between treatments. This may include corrective exercises, ergonomic adjustments (particularly at work) and even relaxation techniques to relieve tension in the muscles of the neck and upper back.

Bump up your magnesium: I have written about the benefits of magnesium before and luckily, it is also a powerful defense against headaches. Magnesium can affect the regulation of blood flow to the brain, which can be compromised during a migraine attack. In one study, the treatment group, receiving 600mg of magnesium for a 12 week period, experienced a 41.6% reduction in headaches as compared to only 15.8% reduction in migraine headaches in the placebo group. Additional research suggests that magnesium supplements may shorten the duration of a migraine and reduce the amount of medication needed. As an added bonus, magnesium is a natural muscle relaxer, so you may find that supplementation reduces other muscle aches and pains. I recommendtaking magnesium glycinate or citrate, taken to bowel tolerance each night (approximately 200mg – 600mg). If you get loose stools you can reduce the dose.

Check out some herbals: Out of all the herbal medicines, feverfew has the most promise for its ability to decrease the frequency and/or intensity of their migraine attack. In one study, 72 volunteers were randomly allocated to receive either one capsule of dried feverfew leaves a day or matching placebo for four months and then transferred to the other treatment for a further four months. Treatment with feverfew was associated with a reduction in the mean number and severity of attacks in each two-month period. Feverfew seems to work its magic by inhibiting the production of inflammatory substances and re-establishing proper blood vessel tone. Another herbal preparation, butterbur, has been shown to relax the blood vessels of the brain which can prevent headaches. As with all herbal medications, they require consistent usage for optimal benefits. I recommend working with a naturopath or herbalist to determine the dosage that is best for you.

Cool Your headaches with Coq10: Coenzyme Q10 (also known as CoQ10) plays a critical role in the function of your cells. The supplement has also been found to reduce migraine attacks in humans, according to a double-blind placebo-controlled study. Researchers studied 42 subjects who suffered an average of 4.4 migraine attacks per month. Approximately 48 percent of the CoQ10 group experienced a 50% response rate during the three-month study. In addition, the patients treated with CoQ10 experienced fewer migraine attacks per month, 2 after treatment compared to 4.4 before treatment, while the placebo group experienced no reduction in migraine frequency. CoQ10-treated subjects also had more headache-free days than the placebo group and fewer days with nausea. Supplementation with CoQ10 may not only improve your energy but also your heart health, blood sugar balance, nervous system and help to manage high cholesterol and high blood pressure in individuals with diabetes. Take 100mg up to two times daily.

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