Migraine Aura/Increased Risk of Stroke

[Dave L]

I have been experiencing Ocular Migraines for over 10 years. (I am a 53 year old male). I get both the "shooting stars" and I sometimes get the expanding zigzag image. The shooting stars (or flashes as some folks refer to them) come mostly when I am at work during stressful situations and the zigzag images happen at any time, even during the night when I am sleeping. I do sometimes get painful headaches but they don't always coincide with the ocular disturbances. I normally get the headaches late in the afternoon on days when I am at work. My question is what your opinion is about how much this raises my chances of having a stroke or heart attack? My blood pressure is normally good, but I am on a cholesterol lowering drug (20 MG of Simavastin). Experiencing these auras is unsettling enough but hearing about the possibility of an increased risk of stroke really causes me to be very concerned. I thank you for your time and I look forward to your response.

Sincerely,
Dave L.

[Dave L]

Thank you for your response. I do try to eat as healthy as possible and I walk at least 30 minutes on most days. The only thing that I cannot control is the stress that have at work which is the primary trigger of the auras. As a supervisor it is hard to avoid stress but I will try to as much as possible.
Take care and I appreciate your time.
Dave

[Arti Sharma, M.D.]

Hello and hope you are doing well.
There is an increased risk of ischemic strokes in women with a higher frequency of migraine headaches with aura .Also there is an increased risk of heart attack associated with migraine with aura and the frequency of attacks is very important in determining the risk. High blood pressure, intake of birth control pills and smoking may further increase the risk. All you can do is keep your migraine under control with regular intake of medications. Lose weight if you are overweight. Exercise daily and adopt healthy eating habits. Yoga may help in restoring physical and mental health. Do seek the opinion of a healthcare professional if the symptoms are severe.
Best luck and regards!