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According to a study due to be presented in detail to the next congress of the American Academy of Neurology, women who suffer from a certain type of migraine with visual troubles seems to be three times more likely than other women to develop a cardiovascular disease. The other main author of this study, Tobias Kurth, explains that: “After hypertension, migraine with aura (migraine that is preceded or accompanied by glare or tingling in the face or hands) represents the second largest risk of heart attack and stroke, even more than diabetes, smoking and obesity”. The results of this study that took place over a period of 15 years in the United States showed that, out of 27,860 women, 1,435 of whom suffered from this type of migraine, 1,030 heart attacks, cerebrovascular accidents and deaths were recorded. However, the number of women suffering from migraine with aura who had suffered from a heart attack or a stroke remained relatively small. Stopping smoking, checking your blood pressure, keeping your weight down and practicing a physical activity can reduce this risk. Press release: Migraine with Aura May Lead to Heart Attack, Blood Clots for Women -AmericanAcademy of Neurology You can download the file on “Migraine” from issue 5 of Science et Santé (Nov – Dec 2011).