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Drinking more than two alcoholic beverages a day in middle-age raises stroke risk in early old age more than do traditional risk factors, such as high blood pressure and diabetes, a new study suggests.
The study is published online January 29 in Stroke, with first author Pavla Kadlecov, MSc, St. Anne's Hospital, Brno, Czech Republic.
The study found that individuals who consumed more than two drinks a day during midlife had double the risk for stroke between the ages of 60 and 75 years compared with those who consumed an average of half an alcoholic drink per day.
A similar analysis of stroke risk associated with hypertension and diabetes found that heavy drinking during midlife was a more important risk factor for strokes occurring before age 75. But stroke risk after age 75 was more affected by diabetes and hypertension than was earlier alcohol consumption.
Previous studies have shown that alcohol affects stroke risk, but this is the first study to pinpoint differences with age, the authors note.
[TABLE="class: imgTableRight, width: 120"]
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[TD="class: text, align: center"]Pavla Kadlecov[/TD]
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Kadlecov commented to Medscape Medical News: "Individuals consuming more than 2 alcoholic drinks per day are putting themselves at a significantly increased risk of stroke, particularly in their early old age, when they should still be active and productive."
Doctors: Ask About Alcohol Intake
"Doctors should be paying attention to alcohol consumption in middle-aged patients as much as conditions such as hypertension and diabetes, which are well known to increase stroke risk," she added.
For the study, the researchers analyzed data from a large Swedish registry of twins born between 1886 and 1925. This included a total of 11,644 people who were asked about their alcohol intake at age 45 to 55 years. They were categorized as light, moderate, or heavy drinkers or nondrinkers on the basis of the questionnaires.
The incidence of stroke, which occurred in almost 30% of participants, was identified from hospital discharge and cause-of-death registries during a 43-year follow-up.
After accounting for confounders, including baseline age, sex, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes mellitus, stress reactivity, depression, body mass index, smoking, and exercise, the stroke rate was lowest in the very light drinkers: those who drank an average of less than half an alcoholic drink per day.
Source
The study is published online January 29 in Stroke, with first author Pavla Kadlecov, MSc, St. Anne's Hospital, Brno, Czech Republic.
The study found that individuals who consumed more than two drinks a day during midlife had double the risk for stroke between the ages of 60 and 75 years compared with those who consumed an average of half an alcoholic drink per day.
A similar analysis of stroke risk associated with hypertension and diabetes found that heavy drinking during midlife was a more important risk factor for strokes occurring before age 75. But stroke risk after age 75 was more affected by diabetes and hypertension than was earlier alcohol consumption.
Previous studies have shown that alcohol affects stroke risk, but this is the first study to pinpoint differences with age, the authors note.
[TABLE="class: imgTableRight, width: 120"]
[TR]
[TD="class: image, align: center"]
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: text, align: center"]Pavla Kadlecov[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
Kadlecov commented to Medscape Medical News: "Individuals consuming more than 2 alcoholic drinks per day are putting themselves at a significantly increased risk of stroke, particularly in their early old age, when they should still be active and productive."
Doctors: Ask About Alcohol Intake
"Doctors should be paying attention to alcohol consumption in middle-aged patients as much as conditions such as hypertension and diabetes, which are well known to increase stroke risk," she added.
For the study, the researchers analyzed data from a large Swedish registry of twins born between 1886 and 1925. This included a total of 11,644 people who were asked about their alcohol intake at age 45 to 55 years. They were categorized as light, moderate, or heavy drinkers or nondrinkers on the basis of the questionnaires.
The incidence of stroke, which occurred in almost 30% of participants, was identified from hospital discharge and cause-of-death registries during a 43-year follow-up.
After accounting for confounders, including baseline age, sex, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes mellitus, stress reactivity, depression, body mass index, smoking, and exercise, the stroke rate was lowest in the very light drinkers: those who drank an average of less than half an alcoholic drink per day.
Source
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