Moderation in drinking might be linked to stroke risk reduction

One of the repeated themes you'll see here: moderation.

And here's one more reason to repeat it - researchers might link a little alcohol each day to cut your stroke risk:

A research team from England and Sweden reviewed 25 studies as well as national data from Sweden. The investigators reported that consumption of up to two drinks a day was associated with a lower risk of ischemic stroke (blocked blood flow to the brain), but appeared to have no effect on the risk of bleeding (hemorrhagic) stroke. ...

Be careful what you read - you've probably seen some bad information

Ah, Facebook.

You can read blog postings there. I enjoy seeing photos and news from my daughters and grandsons, plus news about other family and friends, especially those I seldom see.

But as you know, Facebook is fraught with bad information these days. I recently ran across a supposed list of causes of death so far this year - a list that is NOT reliable information. And since stroke is the fifth-leading cause of death in the United States, that information is important. Right information, that is.

I won't reproduce this falsehood here, but you can read on snopes.com about the supposed list of causes of death:

The list was problematic in several aspects, however. First of all, the displayed figures for 2016 are simply projections based on past trends, as up-to-date information of this nature simply isn't available. The most recent report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) concerning causes of death tallies mortality data from 2014.

The list mingles diseases - heart disease, for example - with substances: tobacco and alcohol. Obesity itself seldom actually kills anyone, but it's on the list. It's what accompanies obesity or tobacco or alcohol abuse - heart disease and stroke, for example - that can be fatal. A cigarette itself generally doesn't cause a death. But multiple cigarettes can bring about a cause of death.

Here's the actual list of the 2014 leading causes of death in the United States, from this report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:

That year is the latest available.

And it's OK to question what you read on Facebook!

It's not about food or drink but about you and me

For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, ...

-Romans 14:17

Last post was about alcohol and its possible effect on stroke risk.

Now, a different alcohol angle.

Where did you grow up? My hometown was in a "dry" county, a place with alcohol restrictions and lots of people who just didn't approve of alcohol.

Raise your glass for a toast ... or not ... or do it ... or not ...

Way before people had blogs, we went back and forth about whether drinking is bad for you, or not bad for you. Then it was decided that a little red wine is good for you.

But now, a study indicates, stroke risk goes higher after drinking:

Drinking alcohol was linked to an immediate increase in heart attack and stroke risk in all drinkers, but moderate drinkers seemed to experience some protective cardiovascular benefits within 24 hours of imbibing, according to a systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis.

On the other hand, heavy drinkers saw a sustained elevated risk, reported Elizabeth Mostofsky, ScD, of Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, and colleagues. The study was published in Circulation and presented at the American Heart Association's Epidemiology and Prevention/Lifestyle 2016 Scientific Sessions in Phoenix.

Adding more research on alcoholic drinks and stroke prevention

Photo by Graham Hills via Flickr

I've had a drink of soju more than once, first with colleagues from South Korea visiting the United States a few years ago and during trips to that country.

I enjoyed it at the time, and now feel even better about it! Check out the story about soju might lower stroke risk:

Research results suggest that three to four glasses of the drink a day lower males’ stroke risk. Compared to those who do not drink, one glass of soju (10g of alcohol), two glasses of soju, and three to four glasses of soju can scale down stroke risk by 62 percent, 55 percent and 46 percent, respectively. Drink-based stroke prevention effects were the highest when a person drinks one glass or less of soju.

Too much alcohol could raise your stroke risk

One of this blog's little mantras you might pick up on: Moderation, moderation, moderation.

You can't live in a vacuum, but you can take some wise actions to reduce your stroke risk, including not eliminating but monitoring your alcohol intake. Check out this recent story how too much alcohol at midlife raises stroke risk, study finds:

People who average more than two drinks a day have a 34 percent higher risk of stroke compared to those whose daily average amounts to less than half a drink, according to findings published Jan. 29 in the journal Stroke.

Researchers also found that people who drink heavily in their 50s and 60s tend to suffer strokes earlier in life than light drinkers or non-imbibers.

"Our study showed that drinking more than two drinks per day can shorten time to stroke by about five years," said lead author Pavla Kadlecova, a statistician at St. Anne's University Hospital International Clinical Research Center in the Czech Republic.

The enhanced stroke risk created by heavy drinking rivals the risk posed by high blood pressure or diabetes, the researchers concluded. By age 75, however, blood pressure and diabetes became better predictors of stroke.

Preventing a stroke might prevent a death

We all need to encourage better treatment for better outcomes for stroke patients.

BUT, just as important are ways to prevent strokes. For every stroke we prevent, we prevent a possible death or disability. A recent study combined some key methods to reduce stroke risk and, not surprisingly, that healthy lifestyle choices may cut women's stroke risk:

After being followed an average of 10 years, women who ate a healthy diet, drank alcohol moderately, never smoked, remained physically active and had a healthy body weight were 54 percent less likely to have a stroke than women with none of these factors, said study author Susanna Larsson, a researcher at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden.

While other studies have looked at single risk factors, "only a few studies have examined the combined effects of a healthy lifestyle on stroke risk," Larsson said.

"We observed that the risk of stroke decreased steadily with an increasing number of healthy lifestyle habits," she said.

While the study found an association between healthy habits and stroke risk, a causal link was not proven.

Take this seriously - the life you save may be your own.

Stroke linked to drug abuse

We've seen news about the increase of stroke among younger people. Now, another study seems to show that strokes are tied to drug abuse:

An increase in stroke in the young parallels an increase in substance abuse, particularly cocaine and marijuana, according to a study of records from the Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky area.

The number of strokes in those ages 18 to 54 increased from 297 in 1994 to 501 in 2005, mirroring a similar trend in the overall use of tobacco, alcohol, and illegal drugs (45% versus 62%), reported Brett Kissela, MD, of the University of Cincinnati in Ohio, and colleagues.

Blacks and men were disproportionately affected compared with whites and women (65% versus 51% and 61% versus 47%, respectively), according to the study published in the December issue of Stroke: Journal of the American Heart Association.

More good news for moderation

If you've read this blog before, you know I'm a moderation fan.

Now, more authoritative words to give pause from recent news - Heavy drinkers at greater risk for stroke:

“The study does add to our knowledge that excessive drinking is bad for our health in a variety of ways, including increased risk of bleeding into the brain,” says Deepak L. Bhatt, MD, MPH. He is a heart doctor at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston and an associate professor at Harvard Medical School.

Still, the study is small, and larger ones will be needed before telling people not to drink past a certain level.

Heavy drinkers may be more likely to have high blood pressure, which is a major risk factor for stroke. “If someone enjoys drinking, I don’t discourage them, but I will caution them even more so after this study to make sure that the amount is considered moderate,” Bhatt says.

Exercise - a tool to prevent future strokes

One reason that I keep running - aside from my pure and plain addiction - is to prevent future health problems. That includes, experts consistently say, another stroke.

You don't have to run - even gardening would help - but a recent news article reminds us that exercise is a key to preventing more strokes:

"The effects on already damaged tissue can be that much worse," Dr. Mark Gordon, a physiatry physician, told a crowd of stroke survivors and their family members earlier this month as part of National Stroke Awareness Month activities at St. Luke’s Rehabilitation Institute.

Within five years of having their first stroke, 25 percent of female stroke victims and 50 percent of male victims will have another, Gordon said.

The articles gives some tips to avoid a second (or more) stroke: Exercise every day. Limit your alcohol intake. Lower your blood pressure. Stop smoking. Talk to your doctor. Read the article for more details on most of these.

Message from Kansas...but applicable anywhere

Even as a Missouri resident, I'd take advice from this Kansan. Jason Eberhart-Phillips, M.D., is the Kansas state health officer. He wrote an opinion piece about how stroke prevention starts with you:

Here is the bottom line: After a stroke hits, every minute counts. Time lost is brain lost.

To reduce the chances of being hit by a stroke at all, everyone can take proven steps to lower their risk – starting today. These steps include:

Keeping your blood pressure under control. High blood pressure doubles a person’s chances of stroke compared to having normal blood pressure. Roughly a third of Kansas adults have high blood pressure, and many don’t even know it.

Watching your cholesterol level. About a third of Kansas adults have cholesterol levels that are too high. High cholesterol is associated with blocked arteries in the brain, just as it is linked to blockages in blood flow to the heart.

Being physically active. Moderate activity, like walking for half an hour most days of the week, can have a dramatic effect on lowering stroke risk.

Limiting alcohol consumption. More than one or two drinks a day increases the risk of a stroke, along with heart and liver disease.

Avoiding cigarette smoke. Smoking reduces the amount of oxygen in the blood, allowing clots to form more easily.

World Stroke Day: Oct. 29

Oct. 29 is World Stroke Day - marking attention for the third leading cause of death in the United States.

The numbers are sobering. In the U.S., more than 795,000 strokes occur each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The cost in dollars: $73 million. The cost of death and disability is uncountable. It is the leading cause of permanent disability in the United States.  Every six seconds, someone in the world dies from a stroke.

But it's not just numbers. World Stroke Day campaign also highlights the fact that stroke can be prevented and that stroke survivors can recover and regain their quality of life with care and support: To quote the CDC:

The campaign is asking people to commit to six ways to reduce their likelihood of having a stroke.

1. Know one's personal risk factors, including diagnosed high blood pressure, diabetes, or high cholesterol.
2. Be physically active and exercise regularly.

3. Avoid obesity by eating a healthy diet with lots of fresh fruits and vegetables.
4. Limit alcohol consumption.
5. Avoid cigarette smoke. People who smoke should seek help to stop now.
6. Learn to recognize the warning signs of a stroke and call 9-1-1 right away if someone is suspected of having a stroke.

The links on this list will lead you to other resources and previous postings. Preventing a stroke can prevent the loss of a life or a life of disability.