Migraines Linked to Heart Attack Risk
February 1oth, 2010
Reuters
In a study of more than 11,000 U.S. adults with and without migraines, researchers found that migraine sufferers were more likely to say they had ever had a heart attack, stroke or symptoms of peripheral artery disease — narrowing in the blood vessels supplying the legs.
The findings, reported in the journal Neurology, add to evidence linking migraines to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease.
They also suggest that the risks are not limited to people whose migraines are accompanied by neurological symptoms known as “aura” — visual disturbances, numbness, tingling or other bodily sensations that precede the headache.
Previous studies have uncovered higher risks of heart problems and stroke among adults with migraine plus aura, but findings have been less consistent regarding people who have migraines without aura — the group that accounts for about 80 percent of migraine sufferers.
Still, these latest findings should not scare people battling migraines, an expert not involved in the study told Reuters Health.
As a group, migraine sufferers might have a relatively higher risk of cardiovascular problems, but their absolute risk is small, noted Dr. Hans-Christoph Diener, a researcher at the University Hospital Essen, in Germany, who wrote an editorial published with the study.
For example, of the 6,100 migraine patients in the study, 4 percent reported a history of heart attack. The rate was 2 percent among the 5,243 people in the comparison group without migraine.
Similarly, 2 percent of the migraine group reported a history of stroke, versus 1.2 percent of the comparison group. A further look showed that the increased stroke risk was only in the migraine with aura group; nearly 4 percent had a history of stroke, compared with just over 1 percent of migraine sufferers without aura symptoms.
The researchers on the study, led by Dr. Marcelo E. Bigal of Merck Research Laboratories, agree that the absolute risks are small.
They add, though, that the findings should encourage migraine sufferers to be particularly careful about curbing the more common and significant risk factors for heart disease and stroke — such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and obesity.
The researchers found that the people with migraine did have higher rates of high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes than those in the comparison group. Those rates did not, however, explain the link between migraine and heart problems and stroke.
So exactly why migraine is connected to cardiovascular disease remains unclear. One possibility, Diener said, is that some people have an underlying susceptibility to both migraines and cardiovascular disease.
The precise cause of migraine headache is not fully understood, but the pain involves constriction, and then swelling, of brain blood vessels. The current findings, according to Diener, support the notion that people with migraine may have dysfunction in the blood vessels throughout the body.
According to Bigal’s team, future studies should look at whether certain migraine sufferers are at particular risk of heart problems and stroke — such as those with frequent headaches or frequent aura symptoms.
They say research should also investigate the effects of migraine treatment.
On one hand, the researchers note, drugs that prevent migraine attacks could theoretically lower the risk of cardiovascular problems. On the other, certain medications might have negative effects; some anti-inflammatory painkillers have been linked to cardiovascular risks, the researchers point out, while migraine drugs known as “ergots” tend to constrict blood vessels throughout the body.
Merck & Co. Inc., which makes the migraine drug Maxalt (rizatriptan), funded the study. Bigal and other researchers on the work are employees of Merck or have financial ties to it or other drug companies. Diener, the author of the editorial, has received funds from various drug companies.
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Concerns Over Compact Fluorescent Lights And Health
january 11, 2010
Natural News
By David Gutierrez
Exposure to compact fluorescent light bulbs may be dangerous to many people’s health, a number of consumer advocacy groups have warned the British government.
Under a 2007 agreement, European Union nations recently began to phase out the sale of traditional incandescent light bulbs in order to reduce energy consumption. According to David Price of the nonprofit alliance Spectrum, the British government has been “disregarding” the health concerns of people with light-sensitive health conditions in its efforts to comply with this mandate.
”Health is important and it should come over anything else, but they’re not looking after ours,” Price said. ”They’re not listening to the public and aren’t talking to the actual sufferers.”
Light sensitivity can be caused by medication or by underlying health conditions. In some sufferers, compact fluorescent lighting can trigger migraines, rashes or other health problems. Brenda Ryan of Godshill said that the new prevalence of compact fluorescent bulbs so severely aggravates her lupus that she is now forced to remain indoors to avoid a severe red-purple rash and “continuous vomiting.”
Lee Tomkins of the nonprofit Migraine Action has urged light sensitive individuals to stockpile incandescent bulbs before they vanish from stores.
The British Association of Dermatologists voiced concerns similar to Spectrum’s and criticized the government for not allowing exemptions to the incandescent bulb ban.
”What we need, very simply, is for access to remain available to incandescent lamps for people who are sensitive to non-incandescent bulbs,” an association spokesperson said. ”This would be a simple solution and as yet we have not been notified as to why this is not the case.”
The Royal Association of Blind People raised another concern with the phase-out of traditional bulbs, noting that compact fluorescents give off a lower quality of light than incandescents, which can cause difficulties for partially-sighted people.
A Department of Health spokesperson said that the use of “double envelope” compact fluorescents, which look like incandescent bulbs from the outside, can significantly reduce their light sensitivity aggravating effects. Energy efficient halogen lamps will also remain on the market.
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New Human Sensory System Found Under Skin
December 11, 2009
Examiner
By Meg Marquardt
Researchers have found an entirely new system related to touch hidden beneath our skin. The study, published in the journal Pain, suggests that this network may play a pivotal role in diseases that cause chronic pain, such as intense migraines and fibromyalgia.
The sensory network is completely separate from the long nerves nestled beneath our skin that send back signals of textures, temperature, and pain to our brains. That traditional system is a workhorse, gathering in all the data in such an effective manner that someone with a normally functioning touch system would never know that a second one was there.
But what about someone without a functioning touch system? When David Bowsher, MD, of University of Liverpool’s Pain Research Institute diagnosed two patients with a rare form of an already rare disease, it was clear that something odd was happening. The patients had congenital insensitivity to pain. Most who have the condition struggle to feel anything, have injured themselves severely, and have some form of a mental handicap. But besides a lack of pain, the only issue with these patients was excessive sweating.
“For all intents and purposes, they had adequate sensation for daily living and could tell what is warm and cold, what is touching them, and what is rough and smooth,”said Bowsher. [EurekAlert]
He decided to send samples of the patient’s skin across the Atlantic to Frank Rice, PhD at Albany Medical College, who specializes in pain studies. Inside that skin, there was a mystery. There weren’t any of the normal nerves that tell us when something is frigid to the touch or that our cell phone is vibrating. But others were there, sensory nerves on the blood vessels and sweat glands.
“For many years, my colleagues and I have detected different types of nerve endings on tiny blood vessels and sweat glands, which we assumed were simply regulating blood flow and sweating. We didn’t think they could contribute to conscious sensation. However, while all the other sensory endings were missing in this unusual skin, the blood vessels and sweat glands still had the normal types of nerve endings. Apparently, these unique individuals are able to ‘feel things’ through these remaining nerve endings,” said Rice. “What we learned from these unusual individuals is that there’s another level of sensory feedback that can give us conscious tactile information.” [EurekAlert]
Though discovered in those who feel little pain, researchers wonder if the new system can help explain problems in those that feel too much pain. Diseases with chronic pain like fibromyalgia and migraines have unknown causes, which makes thier treatments fairly ineffective. More research into the sensory system is needed, though, for it is a truly unique phenomenon.
“It’s almost like hearing the subtle sound of a single instrument in the midst of a symphony,” said Rice. “It is only when we shift focus away from the nerve endings associated with normal skin sensation that we can appreciate the sensation hidden in the background.” [EurekAlert]
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The Magnesium Mile – Preventing Heart Disease
November 4, 2009
NaturalNews
By Mike Adams
Magnesium may be the most under-rated minerals in human nutrition. It’s not only pivotal in preventing heart disease, it also prevents diabetes by helping the body properly regulate sugar metabolism. There are perhaps a thousand benefits for magnesium in the human body, and yet most people are magnesium deficient!
Here, we present a fascinating collection of supporting quotes and states about magnesium that we’ve researched from some of the top health books ever published. Enjoy this collection — and boost your magnesium intake!
Magnesium and heart disease
The benefits of magnesium in treating heart disease include the well known decrease in ischemic heart disease and sudden death found in communities drinking hard water (magnesium containing), powerful prevention of platelet clumping (clot prevention) known to be caused by magnesium, strong blood vessel dilating properties of magnesium, and effective action to block dangerous heart rhythms in persons taking magnesium. The decrease in number of heart attacks probably resulted from the magnesium in Bufferin.
- Transdermal Magnesium Therapy by Mark Sircus
Magnesium calms the nerves. As this mineral mediates digestive processes, a lack is associated with many eating-related problems, including vomiting, indigestion, cramps, flatulence, abdominal pain, and constipation. When under stress, we use up much magnesium. Chocolate cravings may be a sign of magnesium deficiency, because chocolate is high in magnesium. Magnesium deficiency has been implicated in depression, diabetes, heart disease, migraines, and menopausal symptoms. Natural sources of magnesium include dark, leafy vegetables, sea vegetables, and whole grains.
- Gary Null’s Power Aging by Gary Null
Since food processing refines out a very large portion of magnesium, most Americans are not getting the RDA of magnesium. What is the result of this low dietary magnesium? Low levels of magnesium in the diet and our bodies increase susceptibility to a variety of diseases, including heart disease, high blood pressure, kidney stones, cancer, insomnia, PMS, and menstrual cramps. Magnesium’s role in preventing heart disease and kidney stones is the most widely accepted. Individuals dying suddenly of heart attacks have been shown to have very low levels of magnesium in their heart.
- The Encyclopedia of Healing Foods by Michael Murray, N.D. and Joseph Pizzorno, N.D.
In addition, while inorganic magnesium salts often cause diarrhea at higher dosages, organic forms of magnesium generally do not. In general, magnesium is very well tolerated. Magnesium supplementation can sometimes cause a looser stool, particularly magnesium sulfate (Epsom salts), hydroxide, or chloride. Magnesium supplementation must be used with great care in patients with kidney disease or severe heart disease (such as high-grade atrioventricular block).
- Textbook of Natural Medicine 2nd Edition Volume 2 by Michael T. Murray, ND
If you are a heart patient concerned about magnesium, have your doctor monitor levels in your red blood cells, Dr. Sueta suggests. “If your levels are low, you know for sure you’re low in magnesium. And if your levels are borderline, you still are probably low in magnesium,” she says. You can have normal levels of magnesium, however, and still be low enough to have magnesium deficiency-related heart problems, she adds. If you have kidney problems or heart disease, it’s important to take magnesium supplements only under medical supervision.
- Prevention’s Healing With Vitamins : The Most Effective Vitamin and Mineral Treatments for Everyday Health Problems and Serious Disease by The Editors of Prevention Magazine Health Books
Magnesium is abundant in foods such as wheat bran, almonds, and tofu, but most Americans do not get enough magnesium from food. Magnesium is of particular importance to women, who often suffer magnesium deficiencies. Postmenopausal women, who are especially likely to be low in magnesium, are more vulnerable to dangerous blood clots, which can lead to heart attacks and stroke. In addition to increasing the risk of heart disease in women, low levels of magnesium contribute to another major health problem: osteoporosis.
- Earl Mindell’s Supplement Bible: A Comprehensive Guide to Hundreds of NEW Natural Products that Will Help You Live Longer, Look Better, Stay Heathier, … and Much More! by Earl Mindell, R.Ph., Ph.D.
Many patients with CHF have a magnesium deficiency. The level of magnesium in the blood correlates with the ability of the heart muscle to manufacture enough energy to beat properly. Many disorders of heart rhythm are related to an insufficient level of magnesium in the heart muscle. CoQ10 is an important natural prescription for all types of heart disease. Carnitine improves cardiac function in patients with congestive heart failure.
- Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine, Revised Second Edition by Michael T. Murray, N.D., Joseph E. Pizzorno, N.D.
An alternative approach is to use magnesium supplements, because calcium and magnesium both compete for the same receptor sites in smooth muscle. When calcium lands in those sites it induces spasm, but magnesium doesn’t. If high enough levels of magnesium are maintained in the blood, the magnesium will land in those sites in place of the calcium and prevent the spasms in the same way that calcium blockers do. This supports the idea that magnesium supplements can play a role in preventing heart disease.
- Intelligent Medicine: A Guide to Optimizing Health and Preventing Illness for the Baby-Boomer Generation by Ronald L. Hoffman, M.D.
Experts estimate that 25 percent of people with diabetes are low in the mineral magnesium. The problem is even worse in those who have diabetes-related heart disease or a type of eye damage known as retinopathy. Since low levels of magnesium have been linked to damage to the retinas, it’s likely that upping your intake of this mineral may help protect your eyes. Good sources of magnesium include baked halibut, which contains 91 milligrams of magnesium per 3-ounce serving, 23 percent of the DV.
- Prevention’s New Foods for Healing: Capture the Powerful Cures of More Than 100 Common Foods by Prevention Magazine
Even in apparently healthy senior citizens, it is usually deficient. Magnesium is especially important for men, because a deficiency can cause the arteries of the heart to spasm, resulting in a heart attack. Epidemiological studies have shown that areas with low magnesium in the water supply have a higher incidence of heart disease. Deficiency can occur from decreased intake of foods rich in magnesium, eating foods depleted of magnesium due to poor farming techniques, decreased absorption, and disorders and medications that impair magnesium absorption.
- Total Wellness: Improve Your Health by Understanding and Cooperating with Your Body’s Natural Healing Systems by Joseph Pizzorno, N.D.
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