Moderate alcohol consumption may increase the risk of stroke in young adults, according to recent studies. The WHO points out that stroke carries a high risk of death
Drinking alcohol can increase the risk of stroke in young adults, even when consumed in moderate amounts.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), stroke carries a high risk of death. Survivors may experience vision and/or speech loss, paralysis, and confusion.
While stroke is rare in people under 40 years of age; An increasing number of young adults are experiencing strokes.
The WHO notes that out of every 10 people who die from a stroke, four could have been saved if their blood pressure had been regulated. High blood pressure and smoking are the most significant modifiable risks. Atrial fibrillation, heart failure and heart attack are other important risk factors.
Harvard Health shares that contrary to observations that drinking in moderation (one or two drinks a day) protects against stroke, a study published in The Lancet in 2019 found that the risk of stroke may increase with increasing alcohol consumption.
Medical News Today cites a new study recently published in Neurology, researchers found that young adults who drank moderately to heavily demonstrated an increased risk of incident stroke, especially hemorrhagic stroke.
For the study, the researchers examined data from the Korea National Health Insurance Service, including 1,536,668 men and women between the ages of 20 and 39. The participants were followed for an average of 5.6 years. During the follow-up period, 3,153 people had a stroke.
According to the results of the study, subjects with 2 years of moderate or heavy alcohol consumption had a 19% increased risk of stroke.
Meanwhile, those aged 3 had a 22% increased risk, and those aged 4 had a 23% increased risk.
A study published in the European Heart Journal reveals that starting at low levels of alcohol consumption, such as a habitual intake of 1 or 2 alcoholic drinks per day, is associated with an increased risk of atrial fibrillation compared to adults who do not consume alcohol .
Atrial fibrillation is an arrhythmia, an irregular heartbeat that can lead to blood clots, stroke, heart failure, and other heart-related complications.
How alcohol use is linked to stroke risk
“The way the body processes alcohol means it will affect multiple organs very quickly, including the brain,” Tamar Rodney, an assistant professor at the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing, told Medical News Today.
“Repeated occurrences of alcohol in the brain can trigger events that lead to a lack of oxygenated blood flow or clots in the brain, which can cause a stroke,” Rodney added.
Dr. Fetter noted that high alcohol consumption and binge drinking are associated with increased risks of health outcomes related to the cardiovascular system, including.
Arrhythmia
A study published in the European Heart Journal reveals that starting at low levels of alcohol consumption, such as a habitual intake of 1 or 2 alcoholic drinks per day, is associated with an increased risk of atrial fibrillation compared to adults who do not consume alcohol .
Atrial fibrillation is an arrhythmia, an irregular heartbeat that can lead to blood clots, stroke, heart failure, and other heart-related complications.
Increased blood pressure
Drinking too much alcohol can raise your blood pressure. The Mayo Clinic notes that consuming more than three drinks at one time can temporarily raise your blood pressure, but repeated binge drinking can cause long-term increases.
Heart attack
Alcohol.org notes that drinking more than three servings of alcohol a day leads to a level of toxic substances in the blood that directly increases the risk of heart attack.
The AHA explains that heavy alcohol consumption can increase triglyceride levels, which combined with cholesterol can build up in artery walls and increase the risk of heart attack and stroke.
Cardiomyopathy
Johns Hopkins Medicine shares that heavy drinking can also contribute to cardiomyopathy, a disorder that affects the heart muscle, in most cases becoming enlarged, thickened, or stiff.