Having migraines with aura increases the risk of having increased total cholesterol and triglycerides. This was found to be the case in a population-based study of 1,155 older people (average age 69) presented by Dr. Tobias Kurth at the International Headache Congress in Berlin. Although only 23 had migraines with aura the statistical data seems strong enough to warrant this conclusion. Having migraine with aura carried a six-fold increase in the risk of having abnormal levels of lipids. It is an established fact that people suffering from migraine with aura are at slightly higher risk of strokes and heart disease but the reason for this association is not known. It is possible that elevated cholesterol and triglycerides in those with migraine with aura lead to cholesterol deposits and clogging of the arteries. It is important to screen all older patients with migraine with aura for abnormal lipid levels. They also need to exercise and try to control other risk factors for strokes and coronary artery disease, such as high blood pressure, high blood glucose, obesity, and smoking.
