Two or more cups of coffee may double heart death risk in people with severe high blood pressure

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A recent study found drinking two or more cups of coffee a day may double the risk of death from heart disease among people with severe high blood pressure (160/100 mm Hg or higher).

In contrast, one cup of coffee and daily green tea consumption did not increase the risk of death related to heart disease at any blood pressure measurement, though both drinks contain caffeine.

According to the FDA, an 8-ounce cup of green or black tea has 30-50 milligrams of caffeine, and an 8-ounce cup of coffee has closer to 80 to 100 milligrams.

Previous research found that drinking one cup of coffee a day may help heart attack survivors by lowering their risk of death after a heart attack and may prevent heart attacks or strokes in healthy individuals.

In addition, separate studies have suggested drinking coffee regularly may reduce the risk of developing chronic illnesses; may help to control appetite; may help to lower the risk of depression or boost alertness.

But drinking too much coffee may raise blood pressure and lead to anxiety, heart palpitations and difficulty sleeping.

In the current study, the team classified blood pressure into five categories: optimal and normal (less than 130/85 mm Hg); high normal (130-139/85-89 mm Hg); grade 1 hypertension (140-159/90-99 mm Hg); grade 2 (160-179/100-109 mm Hg); and grade 3 (higher than 180/110 mm Hg).

Blood pressure measures in grades 2 and 3 were considered severe hypertension in this study.

Study participants included more than 6,570 men and more than 12,000 women, ages 40 to 79 years at the start of the research.

During nearly 19 years of follow-up (through 2009), 842 cardiovascular-related deaths were reported.

The team found drinking two or more cups of coffee a day was linked to twice the risk of heart disease death in people whose blood pressure was 160/100 mm Hg or higher compared to those who did not drink any coffee.

Drinking one cup of coffee a day was not linked to an increased risk of death from heart disease across any blood pressure categories.

Green tea intake was not linked to an increased risk of heart disease death across any blood pressure categories.

These findings may support the assertion that people with severe high blood pressure should avoid drinking excessive coffee

Because people with severe hypertension are more susceptible to the effects of caffeine, caffeine’s harmful effects may outweigh its protective effects and may increase the risk of death.

The benefits of green tea may be explained by the presence of polyphenols, which are micronutrients with healthy antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties found in plants.

The study was conducted by Hiroyasu Iso et al and published in the Journal of the American Heart Association.

If you care about high blood pressure, please read studies that diet high in this nutrient may prevent high blood pressure and this berry juice may help lower high blood pressure.

For more information about blood pressure health, please see recent studies about whole fruit, sugar could change your blood pressure and results showing that Vitamin K2 could help reduce heart disease risk.

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