A recent study warns that individuals who consume three or more pints of beer or glasses of wine daily are at a higher risk of experiencing the most severe form of stroke. Heavy drinkers face an increased likelihood of suffering from a severe stroke at a younger age and are three times more prone to displaying signs of brain aging, according to researchers.
The research, conducted in the United States, revealed that individuals classified as “heavy drinkers” who consume three or more alcoholic beverages per day are likely to experience a bleeding stroke 11 years earlier than those who do not fall into the heavy drinker category. Additionally, heavy drinkers are more susceptible to “intracerebral haemorrhage,” a type of stroke caused by brain bleeding, at a younger age and with more severity compared to non-heavy drinkers.
Published in the journal Neurology, the study also indicates that heavy drinkers are at a higher risk of displaying symptoms of cerebral small vessel disease, which involves damage to small blood vessels in the brain and represents a form of long-term brain damage. Lead researcher Dr. Edip Gurol from Harvard University emphasized that intracerebral haemorrhage is the most fatal type of stroke, with cerebral small vessel disease being a major contributing factor.
The study, which involved 1,600 adults with an average age of 75 hospitalized for intracerebral haemorrhage, collected data on alcohol consumption during hospital admission. Heavy alcohol use was defined as the regular consumption of three or more alcoholic drinks per day, with each drink containing 14 grams of alcohol. Among the participants, 104 individuals (7%) met the criteria for heavy alcohol use.
Participants underwent brain scans to evaluate stroke severity and assess the presence of cerebral small vessel disease. The research team compared heavy drinkers with those who consumed fewer than three drinks per day or abstained from alcohol entirely.
The study findings revealed that heavy drinkers experienced a stroke at an average age of 64, compared to 75 for non-heavy drinkers, representing an 11-year gap. Furthermore, heavy drinkers had brain bleeds that were, on average, 70% larger.
Dr. Gurol highlighted that heavy drinkers were twice as likely to experience bleeding in deep brain regions and nearly twice as likely to encounter bleeding that extended into the brain’s fluid-filled spaces, known as intraventricular extension. These conditions typically lead to poorer recovery and health outcomes for individuals who suffer from brain bleeds.
Additionally, heavy drinkers were over three times more likely to exhibit severe signs of white matter damage, known as white matter hyperintensities, often caused by cerebral small vessel disease. They were also nearly twice as likely to display a pattern of cerebral small vessel disease resulting from chronic damage induced by high blood pressure.
Dr. Gurol noted that heavy drinkers presented lower blood platelet counts and slightly elevated blood pressure upon hospital admission, factors that could contribute to stroke severity and recovery. He emphasized that reducing heavy alcohol consumption could not only decrease the risk of bleeding stroke but also slow down the progression of cerebral small vessel disease, potentially reducing the likelihood of recurrent stroke, cognitive decline, and long-term disability.
He concluded by suggesting that promoting lifestyle changes such as abstaining from alcohol should be integrated into stroke prevention initiatives, especially for high-risk individuals.
