People who consume three or more pints of beer or glasses of wine daily are at a higher risk of experiencing the most severe type of stroke, according to recent research. The study indicates that heavy drinkers face an increased likelihood of suffering a severe stroke at a younger age and are three times more prone to displaying signs of brain aging.
A study conducted in the United States revealed that individuals who regularly consume three or more alcoholic beverages each day – categorized as “heavy drinkers” – are predisposed to encountering a bleeding stroke approximately 11 years earlier than those who do not fall into the heavy drinking category. Additionally, researchers observed that those with a habit of consuming three or more alcoholic drinks daily were more susceptible to experiencing “intracerebral haemorrhage,” a type of stroke resulting from bleeding in the brain, at a younger age and with more severity compared to non-heavy drinkers.
Published in the journal Neurology, the findings also highlight that heavy drinkers are more likely to exhibit indications of cerebral small vessel disease, characterized by damage to small blood vessels in the brain leading to long-term brain impairment. Dr. Edip Gurol, the lead author of the study from Harvard University, Boston, emphasized that intracerebral haemorrhage stands as the most fatal type of stroke, with cerebral small vessel disease serving as its primary cause.
The research involved 1,600 adults with an average age of 75 who had been hospitalized due to intracerebral haemorrhage. Details regarding alcohol consumption were provided during hospital admission either by the patient or an accompanying individual.
The study defined heavy alcohol use as the regular consumption of three or more alcoholic drinks per day, with each drink containing the equivalent of 14 grams or 0.6 ounces of alcohol. It was noted that one UK unit of alcohol amounts to eight grams. Among the participants, 104 individuals (7%) met the criteria for heavy alcohol use.
Participants underwent brain scans to evaluate the severity of their strokes and identify signs of cerebral small vessel disease. Comparisons were made between heavy drinkers and those who consumed fewer than three drinks daily or abstained from alcohol entirely.
The study revealed that heavy drinkers experienced a stroke at an average age of 64, which is notably earlier than the average age of 75 for non-heavy drinkers, marking an 11-year discrepancy. Furthermore, heavy drinkers suffered brain bleeds that were on average 70% larger.
Dr. Gurol pointed out that heavy drinkers were twice as likely to encounter bleeding in deep brain regions and almost twice as likely to suffer bleeding that extended into the brain’s fluid-filled spaces, known as intraventricular extension. Such complications typically indicate poorer recovery and health outcomes for individuals who have experienced brain bleeds.
Additionally, heavy drinkers were over three times more likely to exhibit severe signs of white matter damage, known as white matter hyperintensities, usually caused by cerebral small vessel disease. They were also nearly twice as likely to display a pattern of cerebral small vessel disease reflecting chronic damage induced by high blood pressure.
According to Dr. Gurol, heavy drinkers also presented lower blood platelet counts and slightly elevated blood pressure upon hospital admission compared to non-heavy drinkers, factors that may contribute to stroke severity and recovery. He emphasized that reducing heavy alcohol consumption may not only decrease the risk of bleeding stroke but also slow down the progression of cerebral small vessel disease, subsequently reducing the likelihood of recurrent strokes, cognitive decline, and long-term disability.
Dr. Gurol emphasized that advocating lifestyle changes such as abstaining from alcohol should be integrated into stroke prevention initiatives, particularly for individuals at higher risk.