Mind & Mood
Migraines: Can dementia, stroke or heart attack be next?
Two new studies from Harvard examine the possible associations between migraine headaches and other conditions. One study offers encouraging news: the headaches will not hurt thinking skills. Another study suggests a warning: the headaches, when accompanied by aura, may signal an increased risk of heart attacks and stroke. "After high blood pressure, migraine with aura was the second strongest single contributor to the risk of heart attacks and strokes," says study author Dr. Tobias Kurth, adjunct associate professor of epidemiology at the Harvard School of Public Health. "It was followed by diabetes, family history, smoking, and obesity."
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