Adolescents who experience migraines more likely to have high blood pressure

A nationwide study from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem has found that adolescents who experience migraines are three times more likely to have high blood pressure. The research, which analyzed data from over two million Israeli teens, revealed that the link was strongest among those with severe or frequent migraines. The findings suggest that early blood pressure screening for teens with migraines could help detect cardiovascular risks before they develop into chronic disease.

A massive Israeli study tracking over 2 million adolescents has uncovered a striking connection between migraine headaches and high blood pressure—conditions rarely studied together in young people. The research, conducted by scientists at The Hebrew University-Hadassah Medical Center , reveals that teens diagnosed with migraines were three times more likely to have hypertension than their peers, suggesting that what may seem like "just headaches" could signal deeper vascular issues.

The study analyzed medical records from Israel's national pre-military health screenings between 1990 and 2019, covering adolescents aged 16 to 20. Among more than 61,000 teens diagnosed with migraines, nearly 1 in 150 also had hypertension, compared to 1 in 500 among those without migraines. The link held strong even after accounting for factors like age, gender, body mass index, and socioeconomic background.

What stood out most was the severity connection: adolescents with severe migraines were over four times more likely to have high blood pressure than those with mild or no headaches. Similarly, cases of severe hypertension were more common among those with frequent or disabling migraines.

Migraine is often dismissed as a temporary neurological complaint. But our findings suggest it may also serve as a marker for early vascular dysfunction—meaning these young people could be at higher cardiovascular risk long before adulthood."

Prof. Ronit Calderon-Margalit from the Hebrew University's Faculty of Medicine, one of the study's senior authors

The study, published in Hypertension, is the largest of its kind to examine this relationship in adolescents using verified medical diagnoses rather than self-reported symptoms. Previous research mostly focused on adults, leaving a gap in understanding how these conditions interact during youth—when prevention can make the biggest difference.

While the findings don't prove that migraines cause high blood pressure, the researchers emphasize the importance of screening adolescents with migraines for early signs of hypertension. Identifying elevated blood pressure early could help prevent long-term complications such as heart disease, stroke, and kidney damage later in life.

The results also raise intriguing biological questions: both migraines and hypertension involve the body's vascular system, and recent genetic studies have pointed to shared pathways influencing blood vessel function and inflammation.

For parents and teens, the takeaway is clear—don't ignore frequent or severe headaches. They may be more than a passing pain.