Does anyone know if there has been a study between migraines and heart conditions?
I ask as I had my first migraine in over 3 years since having my heart attack. Before my heart attack, migraines were a regular occurrence but since my heart attack in 2019, I've not had one until today.
Has anyone else noticed this or similar conditions/events before and after having a heart attack?
Is it worth mentioning to my GP or Cardiologist? Or any research team?
Cheers
There’s a lot of information known about this. Depending on what you’re on, it may well be as a result of the medication you’re taking; some beta blockers can prevent migraine and can be prescribed exclusively for that purpose. Clopidogrel has also been shown to be effective, and aspirin, too. Whilst not endorsed purely for use with migraine, the research also shows that calcium channel blockers (like verapamil) and ACE inhibitors (like ramipril) often have added benefit for heart patients that are also migraine sufferers. Add in dietary and lifestyle modifications post heart attack, which can also have a positive impact on migraine for some people, and there are quite a few reasons why some migraine sufferers find the frequency decreases once on cardiac medication.
Thanks for the information, I came off Clopidogrel after a year but am still on the daily aspirin. Ramipril was swapped early on for Losatin as I did not get on with it, my hands and feet were so cold to the point it was painful. I'm aware of the dietary triggers and took steps to avoid them, I still do. I just hope this is a one-off as migraines can be quite debilitating. Thanks again.
Losartan also has proven benefit for migraine. I think it does also depend on whether there are any external triggers: I have migraine but found no benefit at all from beta blockers or CCBs that I take for my arrhythmia. It was only when I cut out external triggers that the frequency reduced from two or three full-blown vomitters a week to three or four a year. Unless you’ve developed a new external trigger, fingers crossed it will just be a one-off, occasional issue, rather than something more frequent, but given that the changes occurred after your heart attack, I think it’s reasonable to assume the meds are at least part of the reason that you’ve seen improvement.
I have ha d migraines for sixty years. Typically one a week. Learnt to live with them and that seems to ease the pain. Then, in December 2015 had a stroke and was prescribed clopidogrel. Migraines virtually stopped. Perhaps one every three months. As soon as I stop blood thinners, migraines rush in. Before heart surgery I stopped Clopi and migraines started. Then took low dose aspirin, which stopped migraine. Now back on Clopi and very rarely get migraine.
Hello,
I live with Vasospastic angina, migraine and Raynauds Phenomenon.
All are caused by my blood vessels going into transient contrictions.
Coronary vasospams can occur along with obstructive coronary artery disease.
I get my migraine symptoms of headache, light and noise sensitivity with my coronary vasospams.
Beta blockers are contraindicated if you have vasospasms as the beta blockers make the vasospams worse.
In my case I landed up in CCU for 5 days after being prescribed beta blockers.
My Neurologist has offered me botox for my migraines.
I am already on calcium channel blockers, nitrates, nicorandil and statins for my angina.
Clopidogrel for life to help prevent micro vascular clots forming.
I suggest you discuss your symptoms with your Cardiologist if possible ask for a review by a Neurologist.
Also perhaps keep a headache and migraine diary too.
See if there are any particular triggers for your migraines.
I've been on medication for heart failure for a couple of years, and had one mild migraine recently, instead of a bad one every few weeks. Difficult to say what is responsible.
I used to have before my bypass lots of migraines. Also shoulder pains misdiagnosed as arthritis . In fact my heart condition was diagnosed as costochondritis but now all have gone apart from the odd migraine
That's good going if it's been 3yrs since your last migraine. I have chronic migraine but no medication as the med I had been on for years triggered Long QT Syndrome. I also have microvascular angina. My cardiologist says there is a link between migraine and heart conditions my Neurologist says that's rubbish and something cardiologists make up sitting round a table 🥺
I live with Vasospastic angina and both my Neurologist and Cardiologist say they are linked.
I am waiting for botox to treat my chronic migraines, all the usual migraine medications can make coronary vasospams worse.
Maybe worth asking to be referred to another Neurologist?
Hello,
I had Endocarditis 7 years ago which left me with a leaking mitral valve. Since then I've suffered from Migraines with Aura, beginning when I was in hospital with endocarditis.
I've always felt there was a huge connection somewhere as I didn't experience migraines before my heart problem
This is a very interesting thread. I used to suffer a lot of migraines. Weirdly, not always with the headache, but the visual aura only sometimes developing into head pain. Once I retired the frequency dropped and I realised they were being triggered by stress. I then only suffered them relatively rarely. 3 years ago, my GP noticed signs of AF and put me on bisoprolol and edoxaban, then last year I went into HF. I can't remember the last time I suffered a migraine. It may be because of all the meds or because I actively avoid stress now, especially since my heart attack.
Interesting, thank you
I had AVR in December and am feeling tremendous now - I went to cardiac rehab last week and was discharged! Kinda thrilled about being chucked out of rehab !! So rock n roll !! However - the cardiac nurse I spoke said that there are several studies that suggest there is a link between migraine and cardiac issues .
I had migraine for years which as I got older changed from flashing lights and severe headache to blind migraine flashing lights only . Post op I had many episodes almost every day . As I have recovered they have stopped . I always felt my migraines were stress related but who knows . My grandmother suffered with them and now my eldest son does . I’m on beta blockers and I have noticed a reduction in the episodes but then I’m feeling well and have very little stress !
It’s an interesting topic .
I too have suffered with migraine from a young age, 50 now so have learnt to live with them. Interestingly the severity decreased as my heart condition worsened going from bed ridden for a day to not much more than an irritating hangover, once the aura has dissipated.
I now take Bisoprolol for ectopic, doxisozin, aspirin and spironolactone….(spelling!) but I really can’t say if they help with either the frequency or severity of migraine.
Very interesting to hear others experiences. Migraine is a shocking infliction that is very much miss understood by the lucky some that don’t suffer.
This is a very interesting thread. My mother had migraines then got heart problems, me too but migraines stopped a couple of years before my widowmaker h.a. My daughter has had migraines aĺl her adult life, I'd hate to think she will.get heart disease too in a few years time
Thanks for the heads up. I.willl ask my cardiologist
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As a lifelong migraine sufferer ( with aura and transient facial numbness) I took part in this trial many years ago. I have taken Clopidogrel ever since and whilst not completely gone, my migraines are no longer debilitating and much less frequent. The clopidogrel was stopped prior to my OHS in 2020, and the migraines returned immediately. After a horrific cluster of migraine and high blood pressure, I asked to be put back on them. They have had a very positive effect on my quality of life. hra.nhs.uk/planning-and-imp...
Interesting. I used to have migraines when I was younger but on some medications I have only had a few since. Mine usually consist of an aura which lasts for about 20 mins, then get only a slight headache for a little while. The strange thing is that straight after my last two angiograms, I immediately had a migraine. The medical staff didn't seem to bother - just gave me panadol.
As a young woman I suffered frequent migraines. I was put onto medication for HBP when I was 33 and never had another one until this year. In Sep I was put onto Clopidogrel, Isosorbide mononitrate and metoprolol in addition to the Irbesartan and Amlodipine I was already on. In January I had an angiogram and was diagnosed with Microvascular dysfunction. Since starting these new meds I’ve had migraines/headaches once again at age 72. My GP is looking into it.
Hadn't even considered the connection. I used to get very frequent ocular migraines; not the agonisingly painful full one, just the visual disturbances which lasted around 20 minutes and left me with just a mild dull headache. Now it's been mentioned, I haven't had a single one in the 4 years since my heart attack. The only thing I'm taking that might have an effect on them is aspirin.
Interesting topic. I suffered with migraines in my younger days. Then as I got older they started to ease. I found I could knock then on the head with a couple of paracetamol. I take bisoprolol and Rivaoxaban and aspirin. I take the aspirin every couple of days and find that if I don’t, I will have a migraine.I did forget to take them while on holiday and the migraines returned. When I remembered the stopped!
Firstly I would like to thank everyone who responded to my post and apologies for not responding back. I was sleeping off my migraine then I caught Covid! Your comments have been helpful and interesting, it's something I will monitor but I hope they don't come back to the frequency and severity they were before my heart attack. Keep well and many thanks again. NYA2019
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