Heart Health

Migraine and cardiovascular disease: What's the link?

The connections include overlapping symptoms and possible treatment-related risks.

By , Executive Editor, Harvard Heart Letter

photo of a woman holding her hands to her temples due to headache pain

What do cardiovascular disease and migraines have in common? For one, both conditions involve changes in blood vessels, blood flow, and inflammation. Another link: migraine sufferers younger than 45 who experience odd visual or physical sensations prior to the headache (see "What is a migraine aura?") may face an increased risk of stroke. Finally, the most common and effective class of drugs to treat migraine, triptans, have been linked to a higher risk of stroke and heart attack in people at risk for those cardiovascular conditions.

But if you're among the one in six people who copes with these debilitating, painful headaches, there's reassuring news: both of those risks are extremely small. Read on for more perspective, plus advice for migraine sufferers.

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About the Author

photo of Julie Corliss

Julie Corliss, Executive Editor, Harvard Heart Letter

Julie Corliss is the executive editor of the Harvard Heart Letter. Before working at Harvard, she was a medical writer and editor at HealthNews, a consumer newsletter affiliated with The New England Journal of Medicine. She … See Full Bio
View all posts by Julie Corliss

About the Reviewer

photo of Christopher P. Cannon, MD

Christopher P. Cannon, MD, Editor in Chief, Harvard Heart Letter; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing

Dr. Christopher P. Cannon is editor in chief of the Harvard Heart Letter. He is a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, and senior physician in the Preventive Cardiology section of the Cardiovascular Division at … See Full Bio
View all posts by Christopher P. Cannon, MD

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No content on this site, regardless of date, should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician.

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