Washington: Migraine headaches accompanied by flashes of light or other visual disturbances, called aura, could be an indicator of increased heart attack risk among women, a new study has found.

The study involved 27,860 women, aged 45 and above, out of which 1,400 suffered from migraine with aura. None of them had cardiovascular disease at the beginning of the study.

During the 15-year study period, there were 1,030 cases of heart attack, stroke or death from a cardiovascular event.

“After high blood pressure, migraine with aura was the second strongest single contributor to risk of heart attacks and strokes— ahead of Type 2 diabetes, smoking and obesity,” said study researcher Dr. Tobias Kurth, of the French National Institute of Health and Medical Research in Bordeaux.

The findings do not mean that all women who have migraines with auras will have a heart attack or stroke, but, there is a possibility that common factors may be involved in both migraines and cardiovascular events, Kurth said

Migraines with aura occur when blood vessels in the brain constrict, thereby reducing blow flood to a certain area.

The study, which has not yet been published, will be presented in March at the American Academy of Neurology`s annual meeting in San Diego.