Adderley NJ, Subramanian A, Nirantharakumar K, Yiangou A, Gokhale KM, Mollan SP, Sinclair AJ.

JAMA Neurol (2019) 76(9):1088-1098. doi:10.1001/jamaneurol.2019.1812

Question  Is the risk of cardiovascular disease greater in women with idiopathic intracranial hypertension than in women of the same age and body mass index but without idiopathic intracranial hypertension?

Findings  In this population-based matched controlled cohort study of 2760 female patients with idiopathic intracranial hypertension and 27 125 control patients, women with this condition had twice the risk for cardiovascular disease compared with their counterparts with similar body mass index and age. Between 2005 and 2017, the incidence and prevalence of idiopathic intracranial hypertension have tripled.

Meaning  Idiopathic intracranial hypertension appeared to be a risk factor for cardiovascular disease in women; changing patient management to address the risk factors for cardiovascular disease may reduce long-term morbidity.