november 2013

Alcohol consumption and risk of stroke and coronary heart disease among Japanese women: the Japan Public Health Center-based prospective study

OBJECTIVE: The study aims to examine the association between a wide range of alcohol consumption and risk of stroke and coronary heart disease. METHODS: The Japan Public Health Center-based prospective study was initiated in 1990 in Cohort I and in 1993 in Cohort II, with follow-up until 2009. The sample consisted of 47,100 women aged 40-69 years. RESULTS: During an average of 16.7-years, the incidence of 1846 strokes and 292 coronary heart diseases was observed. Heavy drinking (>/= 300 gethanol/week) was associated with increased risk of total stroke. The multivariable hazard ratios for heavy versus occasional drinkers were 2.19 (95% confidence interval: 1.45-3.30) for total stroke, 2.25 (1.29-3.91) for hemorrhagic stroke, 2.24 (1.05-4.76) for intraparenchymal hemorrhage, 2.26 (1.01-5.09) for subarachnoid hemorrhage and 2.04 (1.09-3.82) for ischemic stroke. In the exposure-updated analysis, the positive association between heavy drinking and risks of total stroke, hemorrhagic stroke and intraparenchymal hemorrhage became more evident. Light drinking (<150 gethanol/week) was not associated with risk of ischemic stroke. There was also no association between alcohol consumption and risk of coronary heart disease. CONCLUSION: Heavy drinking was associated with increased risk of hemorrhagic and ischemic strokes among Japanese women

Additional Info

  • Authors

    Ikehara S.; Iso H.; Yamagishi K.; Kokubo Y.; Saito I.; Yatsuya H.; Inoue M.; Tsugane S.
  • Issue

    Prev.Med. / pages 505-510 / volume 57
  • Published Date

    november 2013