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Migraine and Risk of Cardiovascular Disease in Women
Kurth T, Gaziano JM, Cook NR, et al.
Posted: April 2007  
JAMA 2006;296:283-291

Context:   Migraine with aura has been associated with an adverse cardiovascular risk profile and prothrombotic factors that, along with migraine-specific physiology, may increase the risk of vascular events. Although migraine with aura has been associated with increased risk of ischemic stroke, an association with cardiovascular disease (CVD) and, specifically, coronary events remains unclear.

Objective:   To evaluate the association between migraine with and without aura and subsequent risk of overall and specific CVD.

Design, Setting, and Participants:   Prospective cohort study of 27,840 US women aged 45 years or older who were participating in the Women’s Health Study, were free of CVD and angina at study entry, and who had information on self-reported migraine and aura status, and lipid measurements.

Conclusions:   In this large, prospective cohort of women, active migraine with aura was associated with increased risk of major CVD, myocardial infarction, ischemic stroke, and death due to ischemic CVD, as well as with coronary revascularization and angina. Active migraine without aura was not associated with increased risk of any CVD event.