PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

Excessive alcohol consumption increases the progression of atherosclerosis and the risk of stroke

2013-10-21
(Press-News.org) Contact information: Sanna Rantakömi
sanna.rantakomi@uef.fi
University of Eastern Finland
Excessive alcohol consumption increases the progression of atherosclerosis and the risk of stroke A Finnish population-based study showed that binge drinking was associated with increased atherosclerotic progression in an 11-year follow-up of middle-aged men. The progression of atherosclerosis was increased among men who consumed 6 drinks or more on one occasion. In addition, the risk of stroke increased among men who had at least one hangover per year. Hangovers increased the risk of stroke independent of the total amount of alcohol consumed. Hypertension and overweight, in the presence of alcohol consumption, further increased the risk of stroke. Drinking large quantities of alcohol more than twice a week increased the risk of stroke mortality in men.

Ms Sanna Rantakömi, MSc, presented the results in her doctoral thesis at the University of Eastern Finland.

The prospective follow-up study was part of the FinDrink Study. The subjects were a population-based sample of more than 2,600 men living in eastern Finland and participating in the Kuopio Ischaemic Heart Disease Risk Factor Study (KIHD). The follow-up time was between 11 to 20 years. Alcohol consumption was assessed using the Nordic alcohol consumption inventory. Incident strokes were ascertained through the FINMONICA stroke register, which is the Finnish part of the WHO MONICA (Multinational Monitoring of Trends and determinants in Cardiovascular Diseases), and from the Finnish national hospital discharge register and death certificate registers.

Excessive alcohol consumption has been associated with a wide range of medical conditions. Moderate alcohol consumption is linked to a lower risk of stroke than abstinence, whereas heavy alcohol consumption has been associated with an increased risk of stroke and stroke mortality. In addition to alcohol consumption, the most important risk factors for stroke are hypertension, coronary artery disease, cardiac insufficiency, atrial fibrillation, type 2 diabetes, smoking, overweight, asymptomatic carotid artery stenosis and elevated levels of cholesterol.

Stroke is the second leading cause of death worldwide after heart disease, accounting for ten per cent of all deaths. Furthermore, stroke is one of the leading causes of disability. ### The results were originally published in Journal of Neurology, Acta Neurologica Scandinavica, and Atherosclerosis. For further information, please contact: Ms Sanna Rantakömi, MSc, sanna.rantakomi (at) uef.fi. Link to Sanna Rantakömi's doctoral dissertation "Alcohol consumption, atherosclerosis and stroke – epidemiologic follow-up study in middle-aged Finnish men": http://epublications.uef.fi/pub/urn_isbn_978-952-61-1239-8/urn_isbn_978-952-61-1239-8.pdf

Original articles: Rantakömi SH, Laukkanen JA, Sivenius J, Kauhanen J, Kurl S.
Alcohol consumption and the risk of stroke among hypertensive and overweight men Journal of Neurology. 2013; 260:534-539.

Rantakömi SH, Laukkanen JA, Sivenius J, Kauhanen J, Kurl S.
Hangover and the risk of stroke in middle-aged men. Acta neurol Scand. 2013; 127:186-191 DOI:10.1111/j.1600-0404.2012.01696.x.

Rantakömi S, Laukkanen JA, Kurl S, Kauhanen J.
Binge drinking and the progression of atherosclerosis in middle-aged men: An 11-year follow-up.Atherosclerosis 2009; 205(1): 266-271.


ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

Solar panels can be used to provide heating and air conditioning

2013-10-21
Solar panels can be used to provide heating and air conditioning This news release is available in Spanish. They may still be few, but a number of shopping centres and major stations, such as Atocha Train Station in Madrid, house trigeneration systems responsable for the ...

Seeing in the dark

2013-10-21
Seeing in the dark New research sheds light on how porpoises hear in one of the world's busiest rivers The Yangtze finless porpoise, which inhabits the high-traffic waters near the Three Gorges Dam in China, is highly endangered, with only about ...

Changing the common rule to increase minority voices in research

2013-10-21
Changing the common rule to increase minority voices in research ATLANTA -- An article to be published in the American Journal of Public Health recommends changing the federal regulations that govern oversight of human subjects research ("the Common Rule") ...

Do sunny climates reduce ADHD?

2013-10-21
Do sunny climates reduce ADHD? Questions a new study in Biological Psychiatry Philadelphia, PA, October 21, 2013 – Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, is the most common childhood psychiatric disorder. Scientists do not know what causes it, but genetics ...

Largest therapy trial worldwide: Psychotherapy treats anorexia effectively

2013-10-21
Largest therapy trial worldwide: Psychotherapy treats anorexia effectively Continuous weight gain after application of three psychotherapy approaches/2 new special therapy methods most effective/Researchers from Tubingen and Heidelberg university hospital ...

Turfgrass tested in shallow green roof substrates

2013-10-21
Turfgrass tested in shallow green roof substrates Recommendations for Manilagrass planting, irrigation found in study ATHENS, GREECE -- Green roofs, rooftops covered with vegetation, provide multiple environmental and aesthetic benefits. These "living ...

Parents want e-mail consults with doctors, but don't want to pay for them

2013-10-21
Parents want e-mail consults with doctors, but don't want to pay for them Most parents want online options from kids' health care providers, but half say it should be free, according to U-M's National Poll on Children's Health ANN ARBOR, Mich. – Most parents ...

New research informs California strawberry production practices

2013-10-21
New research informs California strawberry production practices Study of crop and soil nitrogen dynamics results in valuable recommendations for growers SALINAS, CA--In the coastal valleys of central California, where more than 80% of the United States' ...

Laser technology sorting method can improve Capsicum pepper seed quality

2013-10-21
Laser technology sorting method can improve Capsicum pepper seed quality Chlorophyll fluorescence proves effective, nondestructive technique to upgrade seed lots USAK, TURKEY -- The high cost of vegetable crop seeds--hybrids in particular--has led ...

UC research examines how white-collar criminals adjust to prison life

2013-10-21
UC research examines how white-collar criminals adjust to prison life White-collar criminals -- those convicted of fraud, embezzlement, tax violation, anti-trust and other business offenses -- have no more problems adjusting to prison than those in a general ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

Intra-arterial tenecteplase for acute stroke after successful endovascular therapy

Study reveals beneficial microbes that can sustain yields in unfertilized fields

Robotic probe quickly measures key properties of new materials

Climate change cuts milk production, even when farmers cool their cows

Frozen, but not sealed: Arctic Ocean remained open to life during ice ages

Some like it cold: Cryorhodopsins

Demystifying gut bacteria with AI

Human wellbeing on a finite planet towards 2100: new study shows humanity at a crossroads

Unlocking the hidden biodiversity of Europe’s villages

Planned hydrogen refuelling stations may lead to millions of euros in yearly losses

Planned C-sections increase the risk of certain childhood cancers

Adults who have survived childhood cancer are at increased risk of severe COVID-19

Drones reveal extreme coral mortality after bleaching

New genetic finding uncovers hidden cause of arsenic resistance in acute promyelocytic leukemia

Native habitats hold the key to the much-loved smashed avocado’s future

Using lightning to make ammonia out of thin air

Machine learning potential-driven insights into pH-dependent CO₂ reduction

Physician associates provide safe care for diagnosed patients when directly supervised by a doctor

How game-play with robots can bring out their human side

Asthma: patient expectations influence the course of the disease

UNM physician tests drug that causes nerve tissue to emit light, enabling faster, safer surgery

New study identifies EMP1 as a key driver of pancreatic cancer progression and poor prognosis

XPR1 identified as a key regulator of ovarian cancer growth through autophagy and immune evasion

Flexible, eco-friendly electronic plastic for wearable tech, sensors

Can the Large Hadron Collider snap string theory?

Stuckeman professor’s new book explores ‘socially sustainable’ architecture

Synthetic DNA nanoparticles for gene therapy

New model to find treatments for an aggressive blood cancer

Special issue of Journal of Intensive Medicine analyzes non-invasive respiratory support

T cells take aim at Chikungunya virus

[Press-News.org] Excessive alcohol consumption increases the progression of atherosclerosis and the risk of stroke