Report: Even moderate drinking raises stroke risk

Apr 08, 2019 06:00 am

Blood pressure and stroke risk rise steadily the more alcohol people drink, and previous claims that one or two drinks a day might protect against stroke are not true, according to a genetic study.

The research found people who drink moderately - consuming 10g to 20g of alcohol a day - raise their risk of stroke by 10 per cent to 15 per cent.

For those who had four or more drinks a day, blood pressure rises greatly and the risk of stroke increases by around 35 per cent, the study found.

"The key message here is that, at least for stroke, there is no protective effect of moderate drinking," said Professor Zhengming Chen at Oxford University's Nuffield Department of Population Health, who co-led the research.- REUTERS