Migraines could increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases

According to the researchers, migraine increases the risk of heart attacks, stroke, blood clots and an irregular heart rate. Although the absolute risks were low, the findings suggest that “migraine should be considered a potent and persistent risk factor for most cardiovascular diseases in both men and women,” say the authors. Around one billion people worldwide are affected by migraine. It has considerable impact on quality of life and imposes a substantial burden on society. Previous studies have suggested a link between migraine and stroke and heart attacks, particularly among women, but the link between migraine and other heart problems are less well known. In a bid to rectify this, researchers  set out to examine the risks of heart conditions including heart attacks; stroke; peripheral artery disease (narrow arteries which reduce blood flow to limbs); blood clots and fast and irregular heart rates in people who experience migraines compared with people who don’t. 

The researchers collected patient data from the Registry over a 19 year period, from 1995 to 2013. They compared data from over 51,000 people who had been diagnosed with migraine with over 510,000 people who were migraine free. For each person with migraine, they matched 10 people of the same age and gender who were migraine free. The average age for migraine diagnosis was 35 years, and 71% of participants were women. Over a period of 19 years, the researchers found that migraine was positively associated with heart attack, stroke, blood clots and irregular heart rate. For example, for every 1,000 patients, 25 patients with migraine had a heart attack compared with 17 migraine free patients and 45 patients with migraine had an ischaemic stroke (blood clot in the brain) compared with 25 migraine free patients.

These associations persisted after taking account of body mass index and smoking. No meaningful association was found with peripheral artery disease or heart failure. The associations, particularly for stroke, were stronger in the first year of diagnosis than the long term, in patients with migraine aura (warning signs before a migraine, such as seeing flashing lights) than in those without aura, and in women than in men. This is an observational study, so no firm conclusions can be drawn about cause and effect, and the authors cannot rule out the possibility that other unknown factors, such as physical activity, may have influenced the results. However, key strengths include the large sample size and long term follow up. The authors outline reasons why migraine might increase cardiovascular disease risk. For example, people with migraine often use anti-inflammatory drugs, which are associated with increased risks of heart problems, while immobilisation related to migraine attacks may increase the risk of blood clots.

They note that current guidelines do not recommend use of anti-clotting drugs such as aspirin to treat migraine, but call on clinicians to “consider whether patients at particularly high risk of heart disease would benefit from anticoagulant treatment”. “Migraine should be considered a potent and persistent risk factor for most cardiovascular diseases” they say. “Ultimately, it will be important to determine whether prevention strategies in patients with migraine can reduce the burden of cardiovascular disease” they conclude. “We now have plenty of evidence that migraine should be taken seriously as a strong cardiovascular risk marker” but “action to reduce risk is long overdue,” argue the Professor  and colleagues in a linked editorial. 

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Breast cancer treatments may increase risk of cardiac diseases

Treating breast cancer patients with chemotherapy and radiation may increase their risk of developing cardiovascular diseases, the doctors have warned.

With the advances in treatment, there has been a growing number of breast cancer survivors. However, survivors above the age of 65, were more likely to die from heart disease than breast cancer, the new study showed.

Targeted therapies for breast cancers like HER-2 could cause weakening of the heart muscle, a condition known as heart failure, it said.

Other therapies could also affect the heart arteries and cause the development of coronary artery disease or blockages, the study added.

Prompting attention to the fact that during treatment not only ones breast health, but also general health, including that of the heart, should be considered, the researchers suggested.

"Any patient who is going to undergo breast cancer treatment, whether they have heart disease at the beginning or not, should be aware of the potential effects of the treatments on their heart," said an Prof.

However, it should not deter or scare patients from undergoing the cancer treatment, instead allow them to make informed decisions with their doctor on the best option available, the Prof. added, in the statement published recently.

In some cases, post cessation of the treatment and/or the addition of heart medicines can improve heart function.

Administering Doxorubicin -- a chemotherapy drug -- used in breast cancer therapy can also lead to the damage of heart cells, but, giving the drug slowly, rather than all at once, may lower the risk of heart failure.

Doctors were also developing more-targeted radiation to reduce risks, the statement said.

Adherence to a number of ideal heart health behaviours including being physically active, achieving and maintaining a healthy body weight could help.

Besides, eating a healthy diet, avoiding tobacco, maintaining healthy levels of blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar may help prevent or minimise the damage.

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Treating breast cancer patients with chemotherapy and radiation may increase their risk of developing cardiovascular diseases, the American Heart Association has warned.

With the advances in treatment, there has been a growing number of breast cancer survivors. However, survivors above the age of 65, were more likely to die from heart disease than breast cancer, the new study showed.

Targeted therapies for breast cancers like HER-2 could cause weakening of the heart mus ..

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Early puberty can cause heart diseases

Girls, who menstruate before the age of 12, are 10 per cent more likely to develop cardiovascular diseases than those who attain it at the age of 13 or 14, according to a study. 

Researchers found that those who started menstruating early were at a greater risk of heart diseases later in their life. 

The ideal age for girls to start menstruating is 13. The researchers examined data of more than 5,00,000 middle-aged adults who didn’t have a history of heart disease. 

The heart disease is now emerging as a number one killer among women with one in three deaths attributed to it. 

A senior cardiologist, said, “The age factor during the first monthly cycle is taken into account in heart diseases but along with that obesity and other lifestyle disorders also contribute to cardiovascular diseases.”

“Hence, we can say that the early cycle predisposes them but how they take care of their health and maintain themselves can also work towards preventing the disease,” he added.

Interestingly, women’s heart issues are closely studied only now. 

There was a myth that they would not have heart problems because of the monthly cycle. But that is not the case. 

Reproductive health factors also influence the risk of heart disease in women. 

The history of childbirth and miscarriages are also linked to cardiovascular health,   a senior cardiologist, added, “Women who undergo hysterectomy face the risk of cardiovascular diseases.”

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