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Review
. 2020 Jun;91(6):593-604.
doi: 10.1136/jnnp-2018-318254. Epub 2020 Mar 26.

Migraine and risk of stroke

Lise R Øie  1   2 , Tobias Kurth  3 , Sasha Gulati  2   4 , David W Dodick  5
Affiliations
Review

Migraine and risk of stroke

Lise R Øie et al. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 2020 Jun.

Abstract

Migraine and stroke are two common and heterogeneous neurovascular disorders responsible for a significant burden for those affected and a great economic cost for the society. There is growing evidence that migraine increases the overall risk of cerebrovascular diseases. In this review, based on available literature through a PubMed search, we found that ischaemic stroke in people with migraine is strongly associated with migraine with aura, young age, female sex, use of oral contraceptives and smoking habits. The risk of transient ischaemic attack also seems to be increased in people with migraine, although this issue has not been extensively investigated. Although migraine appears to be associated with haemorrhagic stroke, the migraine aura status has a small influence on this relationship. Neuroimaging studies have revealed a higher prevalence of asymptomatic structural brain lesions in people with migraine. They are also more likely to have unfavourable vascular risk factors; however, the increased risk of stroke seems to be more apparent among people with migraine without traditional risk factors. The mechanism behind the migraine-stroke association is unknown. In light of the higher risk of stroke in people with migraine with aura, it is important to identify and modify any vascular risk factor. There is currently no direct evidence to support that a migraine prophylactic treatment can reduce future stroke in people with migraine.

Keywords: migraine; stroke.

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Conflict of interest statement

Competing interests: DWD reports the following conflicts: Personal fees: Amgen, AEON, Association of Translational Medicine, University Health Network, Daniel Edelman Inc, Autonomic Technologies, Axsome, Allergan, Alder BioPharmaceuticals, Biohaven, Charleston Laboratories, Clexio, Dr Reddy’s Laboratories/Promius, Electrocore LLC, Eli Lilly, eNeura, Neurolief, Novartis, Ipsen, Impel, Satsuma, Supernus, Sun Pharma (India), Theranica, Teva, Vedanta, WL Gore, Nocira, PSL Group Services, XoC, Zosano, ZP Opco, Foresite Capital, Oppenheimer; Upjohn (Division of Pfizer), Pieris, Revance, Equinox, Salvia, Amzak Health. Speaking fees: Eli Lilly, Novartis Canada, Amgen, Lundbeck. Speakers Bureaus: None. CME fees or royalty payments: HealthLogix, Medicom Worldwide, MedLogix Communications, Mednet, Miller Medical, PeerView, WebMD Health/Medscape, Chameleon, Academy for Continued Healthcare Learning, Universal Meeting Management, Haymarket, Global Scientific Communications, Global Life Sciences, Global Access Meetings, Catamount, UpToDate (Elsevier), Oxford University Press, Cambridge University Press, Wolters Kluwer Health. Stock options: Precon Health, Aural Analytics, Healint, Theranica, Second Opinion/Mobile Health, Epien, Nocira, Matterhorn, Ontologics, King-Devick Technologies. Consulting without fee: Aural Analytics, Healint, Second Opinion/Mobile Health, Epien. Board of Directors: Precon Health, Epien, Matterhorn, Ontologics, King-Devick Technologies. Patent: 17189376.1-1466:vTitle: Botulinum Toxin Dosage Regimen for Chronic Migraine Prophylaxis without fee. Research funding: American Migraine Foundation, US Department of Defense, PCORI, Henry Jackson Foundation. Professional society fees or reimbursement for travel: American Academy of Neurology, American Brain Foundation, American Headache Society, American Migraine Foundation, International Headache Society, Canadian Headache Society.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Multiple white matter hyperintensities in a patient with migraine with aura seen on fluid-attenuated inversion recovery magnetic resonance image.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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