Daijiworld Media Network - Mumbai

Mumbai, Nov 6: A new medical study has issued a stark warning for those who believe that “just one drink” a few nights a week poses no real harm. The research, published in the journal Neurology, reveals that chronic heavy drinking is not only associated with a higher risk of stroke — it also causes strokes to strike earlier and more severely than in moderate or non-drinkers.

Researchers from Mass General Brigham and affiliated institutions analysed data from 1,600 patients admitted to Massachusetts General Hospital between 2003 and 2019 for non-traumatic intracerebral haemorrhage (a bleeding-type stroke). They found that those who regularly consumed heavy amounts of alcohol suffered strokes on average 11 years earlier than lighter or non-drinkers.

Heavy drinkers experienced strokes at an average age of 64, compared to 75 among others. Even more concerning, their brain bleeds were about 70% larger and more likely to spread into critical areas of the brain, worsening recovery chances.

For this study, heavy drinking was defined as consuming three or more standard drinks per day, with one standard drink equalling approximately 14 grams of alcohol (12 oz beer, 5 oz wine, or 1.5 oz liquor). About 7% of the study’s participants fell into this category.

• Heavy drinkers were twice as likely to suffer deep brain bleeds or those extending into fluid-filled spaces — both linked to poor survival.

• They showed three times higher signs of small-vessel brain damage, often tied to high blood pressure and brain ageing.

• Chronic alcohol use was associated with lower platelet counts and elevated blood pressure, both contributing to stroke severity.

Intracerebral haemorrhages are among the deadliest forms of stroke — nearly half of patients die, and only one in five recover enough to live independently a year later. Experts warn that alcohol’s silent damage to the brain’s small vessels could make it more prone to catastrophic bleeding.

Lead researcher Dr. M. Edip Gurol emphasised that cutting back on alcohol could play a critical role in preventing strokes.

“Minimising or stopping alcohol use may not only lower a person’s risk of bleeding stroke, it may also slow the progression of cerebral small-vessel disease,” he said.

While the study stops short of proving direct causation, it adds to growing evidence that no level of alcohol consumption is entirely safe when it comes to long-term brain and vascular health.