The Link Between Migraines and Heart Disease
Could your migraines be caused by a heart defect?
Recent studies suggest a connection between migraines
and heart disease. Doctors at the Hospital of
the University of Pennsylvania (HUP) are about
to embark on a new study in this field. HUP is
one of only 20 hospitals in the nation involved
in the program.
Patent foramen
ovale (PFO) is a small, congenital hole between
the upper chambers of the heart. This small hole
can lead to debilitating pain for some migraine
sufferers and in some cases, stroke. It is this
same small hole that caused Israeli Prime Minister
Ariel Sharon to have a stroke early in December.
Cardiologist
Howard Herrmann, MD, and Neurologist Grant
Liu, MD, both at the Hospital of the University
of Pennsylvania, are collaborating with other
doctors in the region and are paying special attention
to the PFO-migraine connection.
There are over 50 million people in the United States
that suffer migraines. Migraines are headaches marked by pain,
nausea, vomiting and extra sensitivity to light and sound.
Sufferers may also experience "aura" or visual
sparkles, which indicate neurological problems.
In a recent study published in the Journal
of the American College of Cardiology, researchers
discovered people who suffer migraines with aura
are twice as likely to have PFO. Furthermore,
"some of my patients who had their PFOs closed
percutaneously to prevent another stroke described
a marked improvement in the frequency of their
migraine headaches," said Dr. Herrmann.
"The MIST-2 study will assess whether PFO closure with a
percutaneously inserted umbrella-like device can reduce the
incidence of migraines," said Dr. Herrmann. "Preliminary studies
have suggested that some of these patients benefited from PFO
closure."
For more information about heart
disease and stroke
call 1-800-789-PENN or visit the Penn
Cardiac Care web site.
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