It is well-known that binge drinking puts a person at risk of accident, brain damage and even death. Now, one report has also linked this dangerous activity to increasing the risk of stroke in men. UPI Health News reported the findings of a recent study completed in South Korea. This study identified male binge drinkers as those who drank six or more servings of alcohol on one occasion, and women consuming four or more servings. Most of the alcohol consumed as soju, a native Korean distilled liquor similar to vodka that offers a 25 percent alcohol by volume. “The proportion of Korean adults who drink alcohol is among the world’s highest and heavy drinking is also high,” senior researcher Dr. Heechoul Ohrr of Yonsei University College of Medicine, in Seoul, said in a statement. “About 46 percent of Korean men and 9 percent of Korean women are considered heavy drinkers.” In this study, researchers examined the association between binge drinking and risks of death from all causes. The instance of a stroke received special attention for those 6,000+ citizens age 55 and older living in the agricultural community. These individuals were tracked for 20 years. The findings from this study indicate that the risk of a bleeding stroke was 300 percent higher among male binge drinkers. At the same time, the total stroke risk was 86 percent higher among this same demographic. For female binge drinkers, they showed an increased risk of death from heart disease or stroke, but according to study authors, the findings were not statistically significant. These findings do point to a tremendous risk for many binge drinkers, especially within the South Korean region. While the percent alcohol volume could contribute to the overall findings, the fact that binge drinking puts these individuals at so much risk is enough to consider another form of entertainment.
