According to findings published in the journal Neurology, migraine sufferers are twice as likely to have heart attacks compared to people who dont suffer from the painful headaches. They were also more susceptible to stroke, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol.
Researchers were surprised by these findings, noting that most individuals simply view the headaches as a discomfort to their daily routine, not something that could be detrimental to their health.
“Migraine has been viewed as a painful condition that affects quality of life, but not as a threat to peoples overall health,” said lead investigator Richard B. Lipton, M.D. “Our study suggests that migraine is not an isolated disorder and that, when caring for people with migraine, we should also be attentive to detecting and treating their cardiovascular risk factors.”
Migraines are most common between the ages of 25 and 55 and women are three times more likely to suffer from the pain than men.