London:
Bashed your head? Fret not. All you need is a stiff drink. Crazy it may seem, but a new study says that alcohol in blood makes people more likely to survive head injuries than those without.
Researchers have carried out the study of 38,000 people with head injuries and found that those with alcohol in their blood are more likely to survive -- which could make it an emergency treatment, the New Scientist reported.
"The finding raises the intriguing possibility that administering ethanol to patients with brain injuries may improve outcome," lead researcher Ali Salim of Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles was quoted as saying.
According to the researchers, a trial could be mounted but more information is needed first. "We need a better understanding of exact mechanism, the appropriate dose and specific timing of treatment before we can embark on clinical trials," Salim said.
He said that several previous studies have found similar beneficial effects -- although others do not. Animal experiments, meanwhile, suggest that relatively low doses of alcohol protect the brain from injury, but high doses increase the risk of death.
Researchers have carried out the study of 38,000 people with head injuries and found that those with alcohol in their blood are more likely to survive -- which could make it an emergency treatment, the New Scientist reported.
"The finding raises the intriguing possibility that administering ethanol to patients with brain injuries may improve outcome," lead researcher Ali Salim of Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles was quoted as saying.
According to the researchers, a trial could be mounted but more information is needed first. "We need a better understanding of exact mechanism, the appropriate dose and specific timing of treatment before we can embark on clinical trials," Salim said.
He said that several previous studies have found similar beneficial effects -- although others do not. Animal experiments, meanwhile, suggest that relatively low doses of alcohol protect the brain from injury, but high doses increase the risk of death.
Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world
