4/26/2007 - Migraines linked to heart trouble in men Men who have migraine headaches may be at increased risk for major heart problems, especially heart attacks, according to a study published in the April 23 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine. The study involved 20,084 men between the ages of 40 and 84 who did not have a previous history of heart disease. Of the men, 1,449 (7.2 percent) reported having migraines, including 434 who reported having frequent migraines. From the time they enrolled in the study between 1981 and 1984 through 2005, the men were sent yearly questionnaires asking about heart health. Researchers used the questionnaires to track ischemic stroke (caused by a lack of blood flow to the brain), heart attack, death due to ischemic cardiovascular disease (a lack of blood flow to the heart), angioplasty, bypass surgery and angina.After adjusting for various cardiovascular risk factors, researchers found that men who had migraines had a 42 percent higher risk of heart attack and a 24 percent higher risk of major cardiovascular disease than men who didn't have migraines. The study did not find a statistically significant link between migraine and ischemic stroke, death from ischemic cardiovascular disease, or the need for angioplasty or bypass surgery. Previous research has found a similar link between migraine and heart trouble in women. But there has been a lack of data on the effects of migraine in men, according to background information in the current study. Research in women found that migraine with aura (visual disturbances) was linked to a higher risk for ischemic cardiovascular disease. Researchers noted that the current study did not include information on aura. Additional studies are needed to show more about the possible link between migraines and heart trouble. Back