ALCOHOL AND STROKE RISK

Lately, alcohol has gained a lot of attention because of its benefits to the heart. It’s been shown to reduce cardiovascular risk when used in moderation. However, there’s a warning tonight that shows the opposite if used in excess.
Now, new research published in the Annals of Internal Medicine and led by researchers at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston shows that heavy drinkers, meaning, those who consumer an average of three or more alcoholic drinks per day, are nearly 45 percent more likely to suffer a clot type stroke compared with nondrinkers.

Alcohol used in moderation may be good for the heart but if taken in excess by older people could lead to a stroke.

New research published in the Annals of Internal Medicine and led by researchers at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston shows that heavy drinkers, meaning, those who consumer an average of three or more alcoholic drinks per day, are nearly 45 percent more likely to suffer a clot type stroke compared with nondrinkers.

Dr. Stanley Thurim, Director of the Stroke Center at Mt. Sinai Hospital, New York, says, “There are many studies which show that in people who have already suffered a stroke, the ingestion of 2 to 5 or in some studies more than 5 drinks a day is clearly associated with an increase risk of stroke. So at the upper end I think we are pretty clear that that’s not a good idea.”

It’s believed the alcohol is contributing to both high blood pressure and a rapid heart beat called atrial fibrillation. With atrial fibrillation, the upper chamber of the heart beats fast and out of control. Because the chamber is just quivering, blood can pool there, and form a clot. That clot then can travel through the blood stream to the brain. When the blood flow gets blocked, oxygen and nutrients can’t get to the brain, and a portion of brain dies. This is a stroke.

The study also found those who limit themselves to one or two drinks, but do this on three or four days per week, are at the lowest risk. In other words, a drink every other day seems to provide the most benefit, resulting in a 32 percent lower risk of stroke than non-drinkers. There is little benefit from drinking more frequently.

“Most studies seem to suggest that something on the order of a glass of wine a day may actually be better than no wine at all but I think that that recommendation certainly has to be balanced with drinking more than one should,” Dr. Thurim states.

The study found red wine appeared to offer slightly more protection than other types of alcohol. However, most of the men were not drinking red wine. It’s ironic because red wine is not associated with a lower risk of heart disease any more than any other type of alcohol, so it’s not clear why this provides a benefit in terms of stroke risk.

There is little benefit from drinking more frequently. For now, the authors recommend that men drink no more than two drinks per drinking day.