Table 2 Alcohol and stroke

Hemorrhagic stroke

Subarachnoid hemorrhage [8–15]

Unrelated or slightly higher risk

Increased risk

Risk factors include HTN, smoking, anti-coagulant therapy

Noteworthy, but possibly unrelated to other cardiovascular conditions are genetic factors

Intracerebral hemorrhage [8, 9, 11–14]

Unrelated or slightly higher risk

Increased risk

Risk factors include HTN, anti-coagulant therapy, possibly other CAD risk traits

All ischemic stroke [8, 9, 11–14]

Lower risk

Unrelated or increased risk

It is unclear which ischemic stroke subgroups are involved and/or whether the association is due to direct alcohol effects or to indirect associations secondary to cardiovascular conditions (see Table 1)

Cardioembolic

Need data

Need data

Risk factors include AF, mural thrombi, valve disease

Lower by anticoagulant therapy

Artery to artery

Need data

Need data

Aorta and carotid source related to CAD risk traits

Lower by anticoagulant therapy

Large vessel intra-cerebral thrombosis

Need data

Need data

Unknown risk factors similar to those for CAD

Lower by anticoagulant therapy

Small vessel intra-cerebral thrombosis (lacunar stroke)

Need data

Need data

Clinically not always evident

Lower by anticoagulant therapy