A meta-analysis report published in the October 28 Online First issue of BMJ stated that migraine with aura doubles the risk for ischemic stroke. That does not hold true for migraine without aura. The said risk is especially high among women who smoke and use estrogen-containing contraceptives.
The research was conducted by Markus Schϋrks, MD, with other colleagues at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts. Included in the research was migraine expert Dr. Tobias Kurth. They analyzed 25 case-control and other similar studies of linkages between any migraine type and cardiovascular disease. Significant association was found between migraine with aura and ischemic stroke. No elevated risk was found, in comparison, with migraine without aura. Increased stroke risk was found greater among women than men, age groups younger than 45 years old, smokers, and in women currently using oral contraceptives.
However, in an editorial by Elizabeth Loder, MD, from Brigham and Women’s Hospital, caution was advised against over-interpretation of the findings. Dr Loder sated “The clinical implications of these findings are that patients who have migraine with aura should be followed closely and treated aggressively for modifiable cardiovascular risk factors. Counseling patients about their increased risk for stroke may increase adherence to recommended treatment, but the information should be put in context - the absolute risk for stroke for most patients with migraine is low, so doubling of risk is not cause for panic.”
This means that women who suffer migraine with aura should be strongly encouraged to quit smoking. It is also highly advisable for women who use estrogen-containing oral contraceptives to use any other form of birth control to further decrease the risk. The American College of Gynecologists and the World Health Organization has been recommending such action with regards to the choice of contraceptives.
Dr. Tietjen states that estrogen is related to increased activation of platelets for the repair of the endothelium. This platelet activation is one of the factors why estrogen-containing contraceptives increase the risk of ischemic stroke. Women can safely use estrogen containing contraceptives if they use in conjunction antiplatelet agents.
Read more about this report in Medscape Med Students.
I'm a freelance Search Engine Specialist with almost 2 years experience in this arena. I'm also in the medical field but preferred to do freelancing to gain more independence, flexibility in working hours and to have more time for my loved ones. I have proven results in ranking keywords with corresponding (deep link)landing pages on the TOP 3 pages of Google Results.
A lot of people don’t understand that the main culprit of stroke is not just the food you eat but also the hazardous habits such as smoking. There needs to be more awareness in informing people to quit smoking. We have the potential to live a much longer live.