Migraine research globally recognised

The Doctoral study of Lárus Steinþór Guðmundsson at the Faculty of Medicine on the effects of migraine with aura has received attention on a global scale. Guðmundsson’s conclusions have been discussed in many well-known media, including ABC in the USA, and a number of scientific webs. Guðmundsson graduated with a PhD degree from the University of Iceland in November 2010. His main results were that middle-aged people, who suffered from migraine headaches with an aura; i.e. visual disturbances, dizziness or numbness as precursors to the headache; are more likely to die from heart or coronary diseases than those who do not suffer from such headaches. Individuals suffering from migraines without aura do not have such an increased risk.

Googling Guðmundsson‘s full name, along with the English word ‘migraine’, gives around five thousand results. Most of the links are to foreign science webs and general news webs giving detailed coverage of the study’s results. The conclusions are based on data from a group study by the Icelandic Heart Association where the participants, 18,725 men and women, where followed for an average of 26 years after they had answered a survey on various factors connected to heart and coronary disease. The study also included various clinical measurements, for example on blood pressure and cholesterol. Using the methods of epidemiology the mortality rate connected with migraine with and without aura could be measured during the time of the study; and other risk factors could be controlled for.  

The above mentioned results notwithstanding, it was clear that migraine with aura is a much weaker risk factor than better known risk factors such as smoking, diabetes and high blood pressure.

Supervisor: Vilmundur Guðnason, Professor at the Faculty of Medicine, Head of Medicine at the Icelandic Heart Association