People who consume alcohol three or more times daily face a higher risk of stroke at a younger age than those who don’t, according to a Nov. 5 peer-reviewed study published in the journal “Neurology.”
The study looked at how heavy alcohol usage is associated with acute intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH)—stroke caused by bleeding in the brain—and cerebral small vessel disease (cSVD), which refers to damage suffered by small blood vessels in the brain.
Heavy alcohol use was described as consuming alcohol three or more times per day, with one drink measuring 0.6 ounces.
Researchers analyzed data from 1,600 patients, with a median age of 75, who were admitted with ICH to the Massachusetts General Hospital between 2003 and 2019. Out of the patients, 104 met the criteria for considerable alcohol consumption.
Heavy drinkers were found more likely to experience ICH at a younger age, median 64 years, compared to more moderate drinkers, who suffered ICH at a higher median age of 75, the study said.
Moreover, significant alcohol use was linked to a larger size of hematoma, which refers to blood pooling in certain parts of the body.
Such users were also found to be more likely to show signs of advanced hypertensive cSVD, including a higher burden of white matter hyperintensities—damage to the white matter portions of the brain.
These findings suggest heavy alcohol use “may exacerbate acute ICH severity and accelerate long-term cerebral small vessel pathology,” according to the study.
In a Nov. 5 statement, the American Academy of Neurology, which publishes the “Neurology” journal, said heavy drinkers had brain bleeds that were 70 percent larger on average than non-heavy drinkers; were two times as likely to have bleeding in the brain’s deepest brain regions; and were three times as likely to display severe signs of white matter damage and brain aging.
Heavy drinkers also had slightly higher blood pressure levels and lower blood platelet counts when admitted to the hospitals, which could be factors that may again contribute to the severity of strokes.
“Intracerebral hemorrhage is the most deadly type of stroke with cerebral small vessel disease being its leading cause,” study author M. Edip Gurol, from Harvard University in Boston, said.
“While heavy drinking has been linked in previous studies to an increased risk of stroke, our findings suggest that it doesn’t just increase the severity of a bleeding stroke; it may also accelerate long-term harm to the brain’s small vessels.”
According to Gurol, cutting down on alcohol consumption may not only bring down the risk of bleeding stroke but also slow the progression of cerebral small vessel disease. This can then reduce the chances of the person suffering another stroke or cognitive decline.
“Promoting lifestyle changes like quitting alcohol should be part of stroke prevention efforts, especially for those at higher risk,” Gurol said.
Researchers in the study were affiliated with the Harvard Medical School, Aarhus University in Denmark, and the University of Brescia in Italy. The study was funded by grants from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.
One author reported receiving research grants from Boston Scientific Corporation, AVID, and Pfizer, as well as compensation for serving on advisory boards from Bristol Myers Squibb, Johnson & Johnson, and Novartis. Three more authors also reported similar disclosures.
Stroke Among Americans
According to an October 2024 report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one in six deaths from cardiovascular disease in the United States in 2022 was due to stroke.
“Every 40 seconds, someone in the United States has a stroke. Every 3 minutes and 14 seconds, someone dies of stroke in this country,” the agency said.
“Every year, more than 795,000 people in the United States have a stroke. About 610,000 of these are first or new strokes. About 185,000 strokes—nearly 1 in 4—are in people who have had a previous stroke.”
Nearly 90 percent of all strokes in the United States are ischemic strokes, in which the blood flow to the brain is blocked.
Signs of stroke include sudden weakness or numbness in the face, arm, or legs, especially on just one side of the body. People suffering a stroke may experience sudden confusion and have trouble speaking, the agency said.
They can also face trouble seeing via one or both eyes. Walking could become troublesome. The individual may also suffer from severe headaches without any known cause. The CDC advised people to call 911 “right away” if they, or any person they know, shows such symptoms.
According to the American Heart Association, roughly 80 percent of strokes are preventable.
To prevent another stroke, the association recommended implementing measures such as managing high blood pressure, losing weight, controlling cholesterol levels, reducing blood sugar, being physically active, and quitting smoking.