Cardiovascular effects of coffee: is it a risk factor?

Full Abstract

Intake of coffee, one of the most common beverages worldwide, is often reported as a cardiovascular risk factor; however, definitive data are lacking. Acute intake of coffee or beverages containing caffeine can increase blood pressure, heart minute volumes, and cardiac index, as well as activate the sympathetic nervous system in nonhabitual coffee drinkers. Interestingly, this is not observed in habitual coffee drinkers. Restriction of coffee or caffeinated beverages is no longer indicated in the seventh report of the Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure (JNC 7) guidelines for the treatment of hypertension. In fact, no clear association between coffee and the risk of hypertension, myocardial infarction, or other cardiovascular diseases has been demonstrated. In contrast to early studies, recent research indicates that habitual moderate coffee intake does not represent a health hazard and may even be associated with beneficial effects on cardiovascular health.

Author information

Author/s: Sudano, Isabella (I); Binggeli, Christian (C); Spieker, Lukas (L); Lüscher, Thomas Felix (TF); Ruschitzka, Frank (F); Noll, Georg (G); Corti, Roberto (R);

Affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Cardiology Unit, University Hospital Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland.

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Review

Journal: Progress in cardiovascular nursing (Prog Cardiovasc Nurs), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2005-; vol 20 (issue 2) : pp 65-9

Dates: Created 2005/05/11; Completed 2005/07/05; Revised 2007/11/15;

PMID: 15886549, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 2/18/2009, IMS Date: )

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