The research team performed CT (computed tomography) scans on patients hospitalized for brain hemorrhage at Massachusetts General Hospital from 2003 to 2019 to assess the size and location of the brain hemorrhage, while also analyzing microvascular damage in the brain through MRI (magnetic resonance imaging).
A recent study has found that individuals who regularly consume about one bottle of soju or two 500ml bottles of beer per day are significantly more likely to experience hemorrhagic stroke more than 10 years earlier than those who do not.
On November 6 (local time), a team led by Dr. Adib Ghoroul at Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) published these findings in the journal "Neurology," the official journal of the American Academy of Neurology (AAN). The study examined the relationship between alcohol consumption and brain hemorrhage among approximately 1,600 patients hospitalized for brain hemorrhage, with an average age of 75.
In the study, one drink was defined as 14g of alcohol, equivalent to one can of beer (355ml), and individuals who regularly consumed three or more drinks per day were classified as heavy drinkers.
This corresponds to about three glasses of wine (150ml), three shots of distilled spirits such as whiskey (45ml), or approximately two-thirds of a bottle of soju. Among all participants, 104 individuals (7%) were identified as heavy drinkers.
The analysis showed that the average age of brain hemorrhage occurrence in heavy drinkers was 64 years, about 11 years earlier than in non-heavy drinkers (75 years). The size of the hemorrhage was on average 70% larger, and the likelihood of experiencing severe hemorrhages spreading to deep brain areas or ventricles (fluid-filled spaces in the brain) was about twice as high.
Additionally, heavy drinkers were more than three times as likely to show signs of white matter damage caused by cerebral microvascular disease compared to non-heavy drinkers. Even moderate daily drinking of about two drinks, if sustained, tended to result in earlier onset of brain hemorrhage.
Ultimately, the research team warned that continuous heavy drinking can accelerate brain hemorrhage and worsen its severity, and that moderate drinking may also have long-term negative effects on brain health.
Dr. Ghoroul explained, "Reducing heavy drinking habits not only lowers the risk of hemorrhagic stroke but also slows the progression of cerebral microvascular disease, reducing the risk of additional strokes, cognitive decline, and long-term disability. Cutting alcohol intake to three drinks or fewer per week can help prevent all forms of stroke and support cardiovascular health."
Brain hemorrhage, also known as intracerebral hemorrhage or hemorrhagic stroke, is a condition that occurs when blood vessels inside the brain rupture. The research team pointed out that up to 50% of brain hemorrhage patients die, 30% are left with severe disabilities, and only 20% are able to live independently one year later. They emphasized that, especially for high-risk groups, lifestyle improvements such as abstaining from alcohol should be considered a key element in stroke prevention strategies.
