April 21, 2010 – While it is true that moderate alcohol consumption can help prevent stroke, it seems that smoking cancels this protective effect.
This is what the results of a British study indicate1 during which the researchers followed, for 12 years, 22,524 participants aged 39 to 79 years. During the observation period, 876 cases of stroke occurred among the participants.
Analysis of the data reveals that, overall, people who consumed the equivalent of 1 to 2 glasses of wine per day saw their risk of having a stroke reduced by about 45%. For a consumption of 3 glasses of alcohol per day, the protective effect was less (risk reduction of 28%). In subjects who drank more than 3 drinks per day, the results were not significant.
In addition, among smokers, moderate alcohol consumption did not translate into a decrease in stroke cases. In fact, the risk of having a stroke was 75% higher in smokers who consumed alcohol, compared to non-smokers who did not drink.
Smoking causes damage to the walls of blood vessels and increases the risk of blood clots. It is estimated that 25% of strokes are associated with tobacco use.
In addition, it is true that alcohol thins the blood and, therefore, can prevent the formation of blood clots that can cause a stroke. It is also believed that alcohol could help prevent cholesterol plaques from forming in the vessels. But this effect disappears when we increase consumption and it is estimated that heavy alcohol consumption is rather associated with an increased risk.
Pierre Lefrançois – PasseportSanté.net
1. Li Y, et al. Alcohol consumption, smoking, and risk of stroke in men and women: the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer-Norfolk Population Study. The results of the study were recently presented at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Neurology in Toronto.
