Migraines linked to higher risk of deadly blood clots

Migraine headache sufferers may have a higher risk of developing deadly blood clots, according to a study in the journal Neurology.

Researchers in Austria and Italy found people ages 55 to 94 who suffer migraines were more than twice as likely to develop clots in their veins, which can be lethal if they travel to the heart or lungs. The study also contradicted previous research by showing sufferers aren't more likely to develop atherosclerosis, a disease in which arteries become clogged, hardened or narrowed. The study was published in the journal Neurology.

About one-third of women and 17 percent of men suffer migraines, painful headaches that can cause nausea and sensitivity to light and sound. The head-splitting aches have been associated with stroke and heart disease in previous studies.

"The thinking has been that because people with migraine are more likely to have strokes and other cardiovascular problems, that they would also have more severe and early atherosclerosis," said Stefan Kiechl, who led the research at Innsbruck Medical University in Austria, in an e-mailed statement. "This study is the first to use high-resolution ultrasound to examine this theory, and it provides solid evidence to refute it."

Kiechl and colleagues surveyed 574 people in Bruneck, a village in the alpine region of northern Italy. The researchers asked subjects whether they'd ever suffered migraines, checked their medical records for instances of blood clots, and took ultrasound scans of their necks and legs for signs of hardened arteries.

Almost 19 percent of migraine sufferers had experienced a blood clot, compared with 8 percent of those who were free of the headaches, the study showed. Further research is needed to explain the link, the authors said.

Migraines can be triggered by foods, stress, hormonal changes and physical exertion. Left untreated, they can last from four to 72 hours, according to the Mayo Clinic's Web site.