ABSTRACT
Alcohol consumption has been reported to show a U-shaped [1], J-shaped [2] or linear [3] association with the incidence of total stroke, including ischemic stroke. A J-shaped association has also been observed between alcohol intake and blood pressure, the major risk factor for ischemic stroke [4]. It now seems to be generally accepted that light-to-moderate drinking does not cause any cerebrovascular harm and may even protect against atherothrombotic stroke. However, heavy drinking clearly increases the risk of both ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke.
