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Small to Moderate Alcohol Consumption May Decrease Risk of Stroke
Toronto (April 21, 1999) -- Drinking a small or moderate amount of alcohol can reduce stroke risk, according to a study released at the American Academy of Neurology 51st Annual Meeting April 17-24 in Toronto.
The study of 22,000 U.S. male physicians found that those who had from one drink a week to less than two drinks per day were 20 percent less likely to suffer a stroke than those who never drank or had less than one drink per week.
"This is the first study to show that as little as one alcoholic drink per week can reduce the risk of stroke in physicians," said neurologist and epidemiologist Klaus Berger, MD, MPH, of the University of Muenster in Germany, who is a member of the research team at Harvard University that conducted the study.
In contrast to the beneficial effect of light consumption, Berger said other studies have shown that the risk of stroke increases for those consuming more than two drinks per day.
For this study, Berger and his colleagues analyzed data from the Physicians' Health Study, which collected annual data on 22,071 doctors for an average of 12 years. During that time, 679 strokes occurred among study participants.
Light to moderate alcohol consumption decreased the risk of ischemic stroke, which results from clots blocking blood flow to the brain. This is the most common type of stroke. Alcohol had no effect on hemorrhagic stroke, which is caused by bleeding into or around the brain. "In general, studies have found that higher alcohol consumption steadily increases the risk of hemorrhagic stroke, with a starting point for the risk increase between one and three drinks per day," Berger said.
Berger said the study's findings can't be easily applied to the general population because the physicians overall have fewer risk factors for stroke than the general population.
Stroke is the third-leading cause of death among Americans, and the number one cause of adult disability. About 700,000 people in the United States suffer a stroke each year.
The American Academy of Neurology, an association of more than 15,000 neurologists and neuroscience professionals, is dedicated to improving care for patients with neurological disorders through education and research.
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Editor's Note: Dr. Berger will present the study at a platform presentation session during the American Academy of Neurology's 51st Annual Meeting in Toronto on Wednesday, April 21, at 3:00 pm in Room 103AB of the Metro Toronto Convention Centre.
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