Stroke may develop due to migraine

Scientists warn that frequent and severe migraines in women can be a sign of a stroke. Such conclusions were made by specialists from the medical school of Harvard University, who during a long-term study examined the health status of more than 100,000 women aged 25 to 42 years. In the research project, healthy women, without cardiovascular pathologies, participated in the beginning of the headaches in every sixth subject. After 20 years of monitoring the state of women's health, specialists compiled statistical results on which 651 participants of the study suffered a stroke, and 652 - a heart attack. During the study, 223 patients died, whose body did not suffer a heart attack.

In this study, according to scientists, there is a clear connection between migraine and the risk of developing cardiovascular pathologies, in particular the probability of heart attack increases by almost 40%, and the risk of stroke is more than 60%. Also, experts noted that women who often have acute headaches almost 40% more often die from cardiovascular diseases, such as stroke, heart attack, etc.

It should be noted that studies of this kind have already been carried out and scientists have assumed similar results, but no single research group has been provided with clear data on this issue. The results of the study of the Harvard specialists are based on a larger number of patients and differ in duration, so they can clearly indicate the association of frequent headaches and stroke in women.

Interestingly, migraines and depression women are more exposed than men, said Jennifer Kelly from the Center for Behavioral Medicine (Atlanta). In a recent study, the psychologist was able to find out that women are 2.5 times more likely than men to experience migraine and depressive disorders. Jennifer participated in the preparation of a report on the mental and physical health of the population from different countries (the report contained data from 20 countries). During the study of the data for the report, the psychologist found that women are more likely to go to clinics because of severe headaches or a depressed mood.

Kelly's research was based on a sociological survey that was conducted in different countries, and in which 40,000 residents took part. For example, in Great Britain about 16% of women suffer from severe headaches, men are twice less, from depression about 15% of women, men - about 11%. In Portugal, according to the same survey, almost 30% of women suffer from migraines, almost 31% from depression. It was also found that in people suffering from frequent and severe headaches, depression is usually observed in parallel. According to Jennifer Kelly herself, the systematic nervous tension and depressed mood can affect the frequency and power of headaches in people to get rid of bouts of severe headache, in the first place, it is necessary to eliminate external stimuli that lead to stress.

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