Migraines may signal more than pain

Head hurt? Is it a passing headache, or is it a migraine? And, if it's the latter, is it related to your heart? If you thought it wasn't, you may want to think again.

A Harvard research study revealed that migraines can signal an impending heart attack in men. Unlike some studies that are based on sample sizes as large as a baseball team roster and take place for about the length of two Led Zeppelin songs, this particular study followed 20,000 men over 15 years. The resulting information showed that migraines sufferers are 42 percent more prone to heart attack than those who do not experience headaches of this kind.

Migraines have also been linked to high cholesterol, hypertension, and inflammation. Add heart attack to that list, and just thinking about it can give you a headache. Doctors suggest that if you suffer from migraines, have your cholesterol, blood pressure and C-reactive protein tested.