Scientists at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem have shown that adolescents with migraines have an increased risk of developing hypertension, which is why early diagnosis of blood pressure is so important. The work was published in the journal Hypertension.
A large-scale study by Israeli scientists from the Hebrew University and Adasa Medical Center has revealed a link between migraine and hypertension in young people. An analysis of data from more than two million teenagers found that those who suffer from migraines are three times more likely to have high blood pressure than their peers.
The researchers examined the medical records of Israelis aged 16 to 20 who underwent pre-conscription screening from 1990 to 2019. Among the 61,000 teenagers diagnosed with migraine, almost one in 150 also had hypertension, compared with just one in 500 among healthy teenagers. The association persisted even after controlling for age, gender, body mass index, and socioeconomic status.
Particularly important was the observation about the severity of the disease: adolescents with severe forms of migraine were more than four times more likely to have high blood pressure. Scientists note that migraine may serve as a marker of early vascular dysfunction, indicating increased cardiovascular risk long before adulthood.
Scientists emphasize the importance of early blood pressure screening in adolescents with migraine to prevent future complications, including heart disease and stroke.