Alcohol Policy UK podcast: Alcohol-related stroke - a survivor's story (APUK09)

The relationship between alcohol consumption and the risk of stroke is complicated: moderate drinking reduces the risk of some types of stroke, whilst heavy drinking increases the risk of all types.  The Stroke Association Factsheet: Alcohol and Stroke explains:

Nearly nine out of 10 strokes are ischaemic – caused by blood clots blocking arteries. As with heart attacks, small amounts of alcohol seem to help protect against this type of stroke.

The remaining percentage of strokes are haemorrhagic – bleeding caused by burst blood vessels in or around the brain. Alcohol does not protect against haemorrhagic strokes and even relatively small amounts of alcohol – two or three units per day – can double or treble the risk of having a haemorrhagic stroke.

Recent research has also shown that heavy drinking increases the risk of all types of stroke. A large Scottish study, which followed nearly 6,000 men over a period of 20 years, found that those who drank five or more units per day were twice as likely to die from a stroke compared with those who didn’t drink.

This episode of the Alcohol Policy UK podcast features an interview with Derek Mclean who has written a book, Return Ticket Please about his experiences of surviving an alcohol-related stroke in his 30s.

00.00 Intro, music by Kaimoku

01.13 Interview with Derek Mclean

18.54 contact Derek

20.20 Music by Fall Down Drunk by Summer at Shatter Creek

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Comments

[Kerin]

I knew that heavy drinking can cause a lot of health issues, but I hadn't realized it would increase the chance of stroke by that much.

[WALTER H. STEINLAUF]

My research shows that there is - in fact - a direct link between heavy drinking, stimulant drug use (Cocaine & Methamphetamines) AND massive stroke. Particularly massive stroke of the hemorrhagic type. This is the MOST deadly stroke.