Table 1 Alcohol and cardiovascular conditions

Dilated cardio-myopathy [4]

None

Causes a subset

Can cause AF, with higher cardioembolic stroke risk and higher HS risk if on anti-coagulant therapy

Systemic hypertension [4, 12]

Little or none

Probably causal in susceptible persons

A major risk factor – by direct and indirect mechanisms – for all types of stroke

Atherosclerotic coronary disease [4, 5]

Protective

? Less protective, no relationship or increased risk

1) lower risk of AF

2) higher risk of cardioembolic stroke from mural thrombus

3) higher risk of HS if on anti-thrombotic medication

Valvular disease

Data lacking

Data lacking

Multiple conditions; some with higher risk of AF, cardioembolic stroke and higher HS risk if on anti-coagulant therapy

Supra-ventricular arrhythmia [4]

Little or none

Probably a causal factor, especially binges

Includes AF, with higher cardioembolic stroke risk and higher HS risk if on anti-coagulant therapy

Hemorrhagic stroke [8–15]

Unrelated or slightly higher risk

Increased risk

Needs splitting into types – see Table 2

Ischemic stroke [8, 9, 11–14]

Protective – varies with subtypes

Probable higher risk; varies with subtype

Needs splitting into types – see Table 2