Alcohol Raises Stroke Risk an Hour After Drinking: Study

The risk of stroke appears to double in the hour after consuming just one drink - be it wine, beer or hard liquor - according to a new study.

The study found that in 390 ischemic stroke patients, compared with times when alcohol wasn't being used, the relative risk of stroke after alcohol consumption was 2.3 times higher in the first hour.

Alcohol Use Disorder | Alcoholism
Alcohol use disorder or alcoholism is an inability to control drinking. It can cause short term and long term physical, as well as psychological effects on the patient.

It was also 1.6 times higher in the second hour and 30 percent lower than baseline after 24 hours.

"The impact of alcohol on your risk of ischemic stroke appears to depend on how much and how often you drink," said Dr. Murray A. Mittleman, senior author of the Stroke Onset Study (SOS) and director of the Cardiovascular Epidemiology Research Unit at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in the Harvard Medical School in Boston, Mass.

Just after drinking, blood pressure rises and blood platelets become stickier, which may increase the possibility of a clot forming.

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However, consistent use of small amounts of alcohol is associated with beneficial changes in blood lipids and more flexible blood vessels, which may reduce risk overall.

The findings may not apply to patients with severe stroke.

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Alcohol consumption continues to play an important role in many social and religious celebrations.However,serious risks are also associated with it!

The scientists recommend drinking in moderation - no more than two drinks per day for men and one drink per day for women.

The study is reported in Stroke: Journal of the American Heart Association.

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Strokes occur when the blood flow to an area of the brain is cut off. It is imperative to detect the signs of a stroke and rush the patient to the hospital at once. Here are some interesting facts on stroke.

Source-ANI