In a new study, researchers found that regular coffee drinking is linked to a much lower risk for arrhythmias, a problem with the rate or rhythm of the heartbeat.
The research was conducted by a team from the University of California in San Francisco.
The team examined the association between habitual caffeine consumption and the risk for arrhythmia among 357,022 participants in the U.K. Biobank.
The researchers found that during 5.25 years of follow-up, there were 8,159 incident arrhythmias diagnosed (6,999 atrial fibrillation or atrial flutter, 890 supraventricular tachycardia, 459 ventricular tachycardia, and 385 premature ventricular complex).
Coffee consumption was linked to a much lower risk for arrhythmia compared with no consumption.
Each additional daily cup of coffee was linked to a lower incidence of arrhythmia.
Except for premature ventricular complexes, there was a reduction in arrhythmia incidence observed for each subtype.
The team says the findings should reassure patients and physicians of the low risks linked to regular coffee consumption.
They hope the study will encourage providers to work directly with patients to determine and personalize their specific lifestyle factors, including caffeine consumption.
One author of the study is Eun-Jeong Kim, M.D. from the University of California in San Francisco.
The study was presented at the Heart Rhythm Society online meeting: HRS 2020 Science.
Copyright © 2020 Knowridge Science Report. All rights reserved.
