8/12/2019 +++ Migraine and ischaemic vascular events
2/11
Chief Editor David W. Dodick, Scottsdale, AZ
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Scotia Stephen D. Silberstein, Philadelphia, PA
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ILFumihiko Sakai, Kanagawa, JapanMargarita Sanchez del Rio, Madrid,
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Jean Schoenen, Liege, BelgiumIrene Tracey, Oxford, UK
Headache Currents
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8/12/2019 +++ Migraine and ischaemic vascular events
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Blackwell Publishing LtdCephalalgia , 2007, 27, 967975 967
Headache Currents
Address correspondence to Tobias Kurth, Division of Aging,
Brigham and Womens Hospital,1620 Tremont Street, 3rd Floor, Boston,
MA 021201613, USA. Tel.+ 1 617 732 8355, fax+ 1 617 525 7739,
e-mail [email protected]
CURRENT REVIEW: BASIC SCIENCE
Migraine and ischaemic vascularevents
T Kurth, MD, ScD
An association between migraine and ischaemic vascularevents,
particularly ischaemic stroke, has been debated formany years. The
pathophysiology of migraine has beenexplored in detail, and it is
known that a dysfunction of braincells and arteries is a major
component of this disorder. Theinvolvement of cerebral arteries
during the migraine attackas well as the high prevalence of
migraine among youngindividuals with ischaemic stroke has led to
the hypothesisthat migraine may be a risk factor for ischaemic
stroke.
Furthermore, there is evidence that the vascular nature
ofmigraine is not limited to meningeal blood vessels and
thatmigraine and overall cardiovascular disease may
shareaetiological pathways. The aim of this review is to
summarizethe epidemiological evidence that links migraine
withischaemic stroke and ischaemic heart disease and to
discusspotential biological mechanisms.
Key words:ischaemic heart disease, ischaemic stroke,
migraine
MIGRAINE AND RISK OF ISCHAEMIC STROKE
Migraine is a very common neurovascular disorder (1,2). Overthe
last decades, an increasing body of publications has
linkedmigraine, specically migraine with aura, with ischaemic
stroke.Several retrospective case-control (312), three prospective
(1315), as well as one cross-sectional cohort study (16), and
somestudies using data from stroke registries (17,18), have been
pub-lished on the association between migraine and stroke risk.
Threeof the case-control studies found increased risk of
ischaemicstroke among women
