Heavy drinkers increase their risk of stroke by up to 22 percent, according to researchers who studied a group of more than 64,000 Chinese men ages 40 and older.

HealthDay News reported Aug. 20 that Lydia Bazzano of Tulane University and colleagues found that among the men -- who had no history of stroke when previously surveyed -- the relative stroke risk was 0.92 for those who consumed one to six drinks weekly, 1.02 for those consuming 7-20 drinks weekly, and 1.22 for those who has 21 or more drinks weekly.

"At the top level of alcohol consumption (at least 35 drinks per week), risk of stroke incidence was 22 percent higher, and risk of mortality was 30 percent higher than among nondrinkers," the study noted.

The research was published online in the Annals of Neurology.