Be aware, migraines can be a risk factor in young adults

In 2021, 121,940 people suffered from an acute stroke (52.6% were men and 47.4% were women). According to a recent study, in adults under the age of 35 who have a stroke, migraines may be responsible. The findings were published in the American Heart Association journal Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes.

“Many studies have demonstrated an association between migraine and stroke, but to our knowledge, this study may be the first to demonstrate the extent to which migraine may be associated with stroke risk.” Lead author Dr. Michelle Leppert said in a press release.

What does this study say? According to the findings, non-traditional stroke risk factors were significantly associated with the development of stroke in men and women aged 18 to 44 years. “The association between stroke and non-traditional stroke risk factors was stronger in those younger than 35 years“, reports the study. These include migraines, blood clotting disorders, kidney failure, autoimmune diseases and cancer.

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The link between migraine and stroke

“Migraine was the strongest non-traditional stroke risk factor among 18- to 34-year-olds, accounting for 20% of strokes in men and about 35% of strokes in women.“, the authors note. Among those aged 45 to 55, non-traditional risk factors were responsible for 28% of strokes in women and 19% in men.

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“The younger they are at the time of the stroke, the more likely it is that their stroke was caused by a non-traditional risk factor.“, suggests Dr. Michel Leppert. And concludes: “We need to better understand the mechanisms underlying these non-traditional risk factors in order to develop targeted interventions.“