If you enjoy drinking coffee but also have very high blood pressure, a recent study suggests it might be time to take a closer look at your caffeine habits. The study found that drinking two or more cups of coffee each day could double the risk of dying from heart disease for people with severe high blood pressure—especially those with readings of 160/100 mm Hg or higher.
Interestingly, the same risk was not found in people who drank only one cup a day or in those who drank green tea regularly, even though both drinks contain caffeine.
This finding might seem confusing because other research has often shown that coffee can be good for your heart. In fact, studies suggest that drinking a moderate amount of coffee—like one cup per day—may reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes in healthy people.
Coffee has also been linked to other benefits like better focus, appetite control, lower chances of depression, and even protection against some chronic illnesses.
However, as with many things, too much of a good thing can be harmful. Drinking a lot of coffee, especially for people with heart problems or high blood pressure, can cause issues like anxiety, trouble sleeping, heart palpitations, and increased blood pressure.
So while coffee might be healthy in small amounts for many people, it’s a different story for those with very high blood pressure.
In the study, researchers looked at the health and drinking habits of over 18,000 people aged 40 to 79. They found that people with severe high blood pressure who drank two or more cups of coffee a day were twice as likely to die from heart disease compared to people who didn’t drink coffee at all.
This doesn’t mean coffee is dangerous for everyone, but it does suggest that people with high blood pressure need to be more cautious.
So what about green tea? Even though it also contains caffeine, it didn’t seem to raise the same risks in this study. One reason might be that green tea is rich in polyphenols—plant compounds with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
These compounds may help protect the heart and balance out some of the effects of caffeine. That could explain why green tea seems to be a safer choice for people with high blood pressure.
If you have high blood pressure, keeping your heart healthy should be a top priority. You can do this by monitoring your blood pressure regularly and following your doctor’s advice. If you’re taking medication, it’s important to take it exactly as prescribed. Stopping or skipping doses can cause sudden increases in blood pressure.
Your lifestyle also plays a big role. Eating a heart-healthy diet with fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins can help lower your blood pressure. Cutting back on salt, sugar, and unhealthy fats is also important. Exercise is another great tool—try to get at least 150 minutes of moderate activity, like walking or biking, each week.
Don’t forget about stress, either. Too much stress can raise blood pressure, so consider simple ways to relax, such as deep breathing, stretching, or quiet time away from screens. And if you smoke, quitting is one of the best things you can do for your heart. Also, keep alcohol to a minimum—no more than one drink a day for women and two for men.
The bottom line is that everyone is different. If you have severe high blood pressure, it may be wise to limit your coffee intake and consider switching to green tea or other low-caffeine options.
Talk to your doctor about what’s best for you. Sometimes even small changes—like reducing coffee or walking more each day—can make a big difference for your heart and overall health.
If you care about blood pressure, please read studies about unhealthy habits that could increase high blood pressure risk, and people with severe high blood pressure should reduce coffee intake.
For more information about blood pressure, please see recent studies that early time-restricted eating could help improve blood pressure, and results showing plant-based foods could benefit people with high blood pressure.
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