Abstract
With an increase in both popularity and incidence, young adults continue to consume increasing amounts of ethanol-containing beverages at alarmingly short intervals, at times, far surpassing the threshold of binge drinking. From mixed beverages to party delights, high-concentration ethanol consumption continues to wreak havoc on the health of the younger generation. In this dual case series, we discuss two unique cases of alcohol-induced neurovascular compromise following episodes of high-volume ethanol consumption and acute neurovascular decline with varying outcomes. These cases highlight the hyperacute onset of severe pathology and the dire need for immediate medical intervention. While outcomes vary from case to case, our findings are congruent with those of vast medical literature that supports the consensus that immediate intervention to restore neurovascular flow is crucial for desired outcomes. At the end of the day, we cannot control the amount of alcohol that enters the mouths of our patients, but rather, we can educate them on safer practices while highlighting the risk and life-changing consequences of such risky behavior.
Highlights
The likelihood of enduring a cerebrovascular complication increases exponentially with age
There has been an understanding within the general public, which holds true in a large number of published studies, that light alcohol consumption can decrease the risk of an ischemic stroke
While ischemic brain infarcts are unlikely in our case patient population, we report two patient stories where the advanced stage of the neurological deficit, the gross pathological changes, and the overall prognosis is of the utmost severity amongst those in literature today
Summary
The likelihood of enduring a cerebrovascular complication increases exponentially with age. In adults younger than 45 years of age, the incidence rises to 0.0113% of the population [2] While these numbers are low, there has been an upward trend in ischemic strokes since the early 1980s, which can be attributed to rises in cases and the ability to detect subacute infarctions via advanced neuroimaging and risk stratification by an individual’s known risk factors [3]. Patients within the medium and higher-risk cohorts of ischemic strokes were found to be intoxicated 45%-50% of the time [8] This highlights the risk that alcohol consumption plays as a precipitating factor for cerebrovascular events. Initial medical management of 3% sodium chloride (NaCl) did not improve the patient’s clinical course At this time, surgical intervention with emergent right hemicraniectomy was indicated to decompress the brain and relieve intracranial pressure. The postoperative course was unchanged with no clinically significant improvement of the patient’s aphasia and right-sided hemiplegia
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