CHAPEL HILL, N.C., Dec. 27 (UPI) -- A University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill study suggested Monday people with a history of migraines are more likely to suffer angina chest pain.
The study says those who suffer headaches for four hours or more, and especially those who see spots or lines before their eyes, are more likely to report angina than those without head aches.
However, the study suggested that migraines and other headaches are not associated with coronary heart disease.
"Our findings suggest that the higher prevalence of chest pain, but not coronary disease, among those with migraines or other severe headaches may be related to something other than heart disease," study leader Kathryn Rose said. "For example, people with migraines might have greater sensitivity to pain or be more prone to vasospasms. What our work does not say is that people with headaches should ignore chest pain since that is an important symptom of a number of conditions, including coronary disease," she said.
The study's report will appear in the Dec. 28 issue of the journal Neurology. The researchers analyzed data from 12,409 men and women, who participated in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study.
