Long considered to be an isolated condition that primarily affected a person’s quality of life, doctors are now beginning to see a connection between migraine headaches and heart attacks. In fact, a recent study has found that people who suffer from migraines are twice as likely to have heart attacks than people who do not get them. Migraine sufferers also appear to be at greater risk for stroke, as well as diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol, all of which are risk factors for heart disease. The new insight might change the approach that doctors take in treating migraines, factoring in the potential consequences to a person’s overall health and well-being.

Migraine headaches affect an estimated 29 million Americans, and manifest themselves as severe pain that can last for hours or even days. In certain cases, the situation can be so uncomfortable as to be debilitating, and is often accompanied by nausea, vomiting, and sensitivity to light and sound. Some migraines are preceded by signs (auras) that alert the sufferer from the oncoming pain, including flashes of light, blinds spots, or tingling of the arms.

Researchers analyzed data on over 6000 patients who experienced migraines and compared them to over 5200 people who did not. The results, published in the journal Neurology, indicate that migraine sufferers were twice as likely to have had a heart attack, and was even higher for people who experienced migraines with auras (three-fold increase).

Additionally, it seems that people who get migraines also had a 50% greater likelihood to have diabetes, hypertension, and high cholesterol, which all increase a person’s risk for heart disease. The findings therefore suggest a potential link between cardiovascular disease and migraine headaches, which may stem from the integrity of the blood vessels.

The exact cause of migraines is not completely understood, though genetics and environment are believed to play a role, and certain circumstances have been found to trigger migraines. These include hormonal changes in women, stress, certain foods, disruption of sleep patterns, and certain medications. Women tend to be affected more than men, particularly between the ages of 25 and 55.

The authors of the study stress that people who experience migraines should not be overly distressed over the findings, because the number of migraine sufferers who are also prone to heart disease is still relatively small. Doctors instead feel that the study sheds light on any potential connections between the two conditions and should instead be interpreted as a call for doctors and patients to pay particular attention to cardiovascular risk factors.

If you suffer from migraines and have questions or concerns, speak with your physician and check out the website for the Migraine Awareness Group, or M.A.G.N.U.M.