COMMENTARY

Can HRT Relieve Migraines in Symptomatic Women?

Alan R. Jacobs, MD

Disclosures

January 18, 2018

This is the Medscape Neurology Minute. I'm Dr Alan Jacobs.

Research presented at this year's North American Menopause Society meeting analyzed data from the Women's Health Initiative to assess the risk/benefit profile of reproductive hormone therapy in menopausal women with migraine.

They analyzed data from 67,903 participants from the WHI clinical trials, focusing on the relationship between migraine headaches and cardiovascular disease events and their interaction with hormone therapy use.[1]

The results showed that women with migraine drink alcohol less and exercise less than those without migraine headaches. Migraine sufferers were also more likely to have night sweats and hot flashes. However, there was no significant increase in risk for cardiovascular disease events associated with having a history of migraine. Moreover, there was no impact from reproductive hormone therapy on the relationship between migraine and cardiovascular disease events.

The researchers conclude that migraines affect 1 in every 4 women; changes in estrogen provoke migraines in many women; and these data clearly demonstrate the usefulness of more research in this area, because symptomatic women can benefit from hormone replacement therapy.

This has been the Medscape Neurology Minute. I'm Dr Alan Jacobs.

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