Benefits of moderate alcohol drinking on stroke risk cancelled by cigarette smoking

New research at the University of Cambridge, UK, finds any beneficial effect of drinking moderate amounts of alcohol on stroke may be counteracted by cigarette smoking.

The study suggested that the association between alcohol drinking and stroke was significantly different between smokers and non-smokers. In non-smokers, people who consumed moderate amounts of alcohol were 37 percent less likely to develop stroke than non-drinkers, while in smokers this association was not observed. This finding reveals that smoking may modify the relationship between alcohol intake and stroke risk. Moderate drinking was defined as consuming up to 21 units of alcohol per week, which is equal to about two to three regular glasses of red wine a day.

This new research will be presented as part of the late-breaking science program at the American Academy of Neurology’s 62nd Annual Meeting in Toronto, April 10 - 17, 2010.