A large prospective study found that middle-aged and older adults with migraine with aura face a 73% higher risk of ischemic stroke over six years compared to those without migraine. The risk was even more dramatic in men under age 72, where having any type of migraine — with or without aura — more than tripled stroke risk. Migraine without aura showed no significant stroke increase overall. Researchers followed over 11,000 adults from the REGARDS cohort, adjusting for major cardiovascular risk factors. The findings suggest migraine with aura should be treated as a serious cerebrovascular risk marker, potentially warranting targeted stroke prevention strategies especially in middle-aged men.
