Migraine is more frequent in individuals with optimal and normal blood pressure: a population-based study.
BACKGROUND
The notion that hypertension causes headache is widely accepted despite the absence of confirmation by well-designed studies.


OBJECTIVE
To investigate the association between headache, characterized as tension type and migraine like, with blood pressure and hypertension.


METHODS
In a cross-sectional study we evaluate this association in a sample of 1174 individuals older than 17 years, representative of inhabitants of Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil. Headache and its subtypes were defined according to International Headache Society criteria. Hypertension was defined as the mean of two blood pressure readings >or=140/90 mmHg or use of antihypertensive drugs.


RESULTS
Headache in lifetime, in the last year, and defined as episodic and chronic tension-type headache was not associated with hypertension. Individuals with optimal or normal blood pressure (Sixth Joint National Committee criteria) complained of migraine more frequently than the participants with high-normal blood pressure or hypertension. This association persisted after adjustment for several potential confounding factors (risk ratio, 0.56; confidence interval, 0.41-0.77).


CONCLUSIONS
Our findings confirm that high blood pressure is not associated with the complaint of headache in the population. Individuals with migraine-like episodes of headache may have lower blood pressure than individuals without headache.
Division of Cardiology, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
Mário
M
Wiehe
Sandra Costa
SC
Fuchs
Leila B
LB
Moreira
Renan Stoll
RS
Moraes
Flávio D
FD
Fuchs
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology*; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003971:Diastole / Q000502:physiology; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008881:Migraine Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D016017:Odds Ratio; D015995:Prevalence; D011897:Random Allocation; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D013599:Systole / Q000502:physiology; D018781:Tension-Type Headache / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology