A study published on November 5, 2025, in Neurology®, the official journal of the American Academy of Neurology, suggests that heavy drinkers may suffer bleeding strokes over a decade earlier than those who do not drink heavily.
The research focused on intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH), a type of stroke caused by bleeding within the brain.
Key Findings on Heavy Drinkers:
- Earlier Onset: Heavy drinkers experienced the stroke at an average age of 64, compared to age 75 for non-heavy drinkers—an 11-year difference.
- Greater Severity: Their brain bleeds were 70% larger on average.
- Worse Outcomes Indicated: They were
- They exhibited double the likelihood of experiencing deep brain hemorrhage.
- Nearly twice as likely to have bleeding spread into the brain's fluid-filled spaces (intraventricular extension), a complication often linked to poorer recovery.
Link to Long-Term Brain Damage:
Researchers also found that heavy drinkers were more likely to show signs of cerebral small vessel disease (SVD), which is long-term damage to the brain's small blood vessels:
- Severe SVD Signs: Heavy drinkers were more than three times as likely to show severe signs of white matter damage (white matter hyperintensities) caused by SVD.
- Chronic Damage: They had nearly twice the odds of showing a pattern of SVD damage reflecting chronic high blood pressure.
- Contributing Factors: Heavy drinkers also had lower blood platelet counts and slightly higher blood pressure upon hospital admission, factors that may worsen stroke severity and recovery.
Reducing heavy alcohol consumption could not only decrease the risk of bleeding stroke but also slow the progression of cerebral small vessel disease. Therefore, lifestyle changes, such as quitting alcohol, should be a central part of stroke prevention, particularly for high-risk individuals.
Study Details
- Participants: 1,600 adults hospitalized for intracerebral hemorrhage, with an average age of 75.
- Definition of Heavy Use: Regularly consuming three or more alcoholic drinks per day. (One drink was defined as 14 grams or 0.6 ounces of alcohol, e.g., 12 oz of beer, 5 oz of wine, or 1.5 oz of liquor.)
- Heavy Drinkers in Study: 7% (104 people) met the criteria.
- Data Collection: Alcohol use was self-reported during hospital admission.
Study Limitations
- The study used a cross-sectional design (a single point in time).
- Detailed lifetime alcohol exposure was not available.
- The information was self-reported, which may have led to inaccurate recall or reporting.
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