In Just an Hour of Consumption, A Cup of Coffee May Trigger Heart Attack

22/08/06 For some people, an occasional cup of coffee could be more conducive to bringing on a heart attack than drinking the java regularly, say researchers from Brown University and Harvard School of Public Health, USA. The scientists found that for some people, a cup of coffee can make them have a heart attack within an hour of consuming it.

They found that the highest risk was among those with light or occasional coffee intake, as well as those who have other risk factors for coronary heart disease. People who lead a sedentary lifestyle may also have a higher risk of heart attack after consuming a cup of coffee.

The researchers studied data on 503 people in Costa Rica who suffered non-fatal myocardial infarction. They gleaned information about their coffee drinking hours and days before their heart attack. After taking into account such factors as socio-demographic characteristics, lifestyle and medical history, they concluded that caffeine can bring on short term increases in blood pressure and sympathetic nervous activity which might affect a vulnerable atherosclerotic plaque, and trigger a heart attack.

Moderate coffee drinkers raised their chances of having a heart attack by 60% after consuming a cup of coffee. Heavy coffee drinkers, on the other hand, seemed unaffected. Light coffee drinkers had four times the risk of a heart attack after consuming one cup.

The researchers suggested that perhaps light and moderate coffee drinkers are not as acclimated to the effects of caffeine as heavy drinkers.

Team leader, Ana Baylin, Brown University, said “People at high risk for a heart attack who are occasional or regular coffee drinkers might consider quitting coffee altogether,” comments Baylin, adding that for these individuals, a cup of coffee could be “the straw that broke the camel's back.”

This study, unlike scores of others on the effect of coffee on humans, looked at the immediate effects.

As coffee intake in the USA is comparable to that of Costa Rica, the researchers say the study is relevant to the USA.