Is it possible to drink coffee with arrhythmia: pros and cons

Cardiologist

Higher education:
Cardiologist
Kuban State Medical University (KubSMU, KubSMA, KubSMI) Level of education - Specialist 1993-1999

Additional education:
“Cardiology”, “Course on magnetic resonance imaging of the cardiovascular system”,
Research Institute of Cardiology named after. A.L. Myasnikova

"Course on functional diagnostics"

NTsSSKh them. A. N. Bakuleva

"Course in Clinical Pharmacology"

Russian Medical Academy of Postgraduate Education

"Emergency Cardiology"

Cantonal Hospital of Geneva, Geneva (Switzerland)

"Therapy course"

Russian State Medical Institute of Roszdrav

Contacts

Patients suffering from cardiovascular diseases often wonder whether it is possible to drink coffee if they have heart arrhythmia or whether it is better to refrain from drinking this drink. Paradoxically, scientists have not yet come to a consensus on this issue. Some experts argue that caffeine should absolutely not be consumed, while others believe that in small doses it will not harm. We will try to understand this issue.

How does coffee affect the cardiovascular system?

Almost any cardiologist will begin to dissuade a patient suffering from abnormalities in the functioning of the cardiovascular system from drinking coffee. It is believed that all strong drinks containing caffeine provoke the development of tachycardia. Many doctors in domestic clinics think so. But modern studies of coffee and the cardiovascular system conducted in Europe show that if you drink several cups of this drink a day, then nothing bad will happen to you.

The most interesting experiment was carried out by scientists from the USA and Denmark. They divided people suffering from arrhythmias into 2 groups. The first one did not take coffee at all, including in instant form. The second was allowed to drink this drink in unlimited quantities. During the test, approximately 2% of all patients were hospitalized. And all of them belonged to those people who drank coffee 1-2 times a week or did not drink it at all. So taking this drink is not only not dangerous, but also useful.

Tachycardia: signs, types, connection with coffee consumption

Tachycardia is a type of arrhythmia that manifests itself in an acceleration of the heart rate - more than 100 beats per minute. In addition to an accelerated heart rate, signs of tachycardia can be considered: weakness and malaise; dizziness and fainting; aching pain in the chest area; feeling of lack of air. Tachycardia is divided into natural and pathological:

1. Natural tachycardia is the body’s response to external stimuli: heavy physical activity, stress, emotional outbursts, and taking certain medications. As a rule, such tachycardia goes away on its own over time, when stressful conditions for the body cease to operate.
2. Pathological tachycardia is a sign of diseases of the cardiovascular system, as well as diseases of other systems: nervous and endocrine.

Tachycardia is also divided into sinus, ectopic and flickering:

1. With sinus tachycardia, the heart rate is more than 100 but less than 200 beats per minute due to increased activity of the sinus node, which sets the heartbeat. The heart rate slowly increases and also gradually returns to normal. Sinus tachycardia is a sign of heart failure or left ventricular dysfunction. It can also occur during stressful situations.
2. Ectopic tachycardia occurs as a result of excessive excitation in the ventricles or atria. It, unlike the previous case, manifests itself in attacks - it comes on sharply and also disappears sharply. The heart rate reaches up to 200 beats per minute. Ectopic tachycardia develops as a result of inflammatory, necrotic, dystrophic or sclerotic damage to the heart.
3. Fibrillation tachycardia (atrial fibrillation) is a case of tachycardia in which the heart rate fluctuates from 300 to 700 beats per minute. The pathology is the result of impaired conductivity in the tissues of the heart, as a result of which some electrical impulses do not reach the ventricles. Therefore, with flickering tachycardia, the atria contract more often than the ventricles. Flickering tachycardia occurs as a result of damage to the heart muscle due to myocardial infarction, coronary heart disease, myocarditis, valve insufficiency or stenosis.

Thus, a rapid heartbeat after coffee can be attributed to the body’s normal reaction to the caffeine in the drink. From this we can conclude that coffee is not a direct cause of pathological, systematically occurring tachycardia, but its use aggravates the situation if a person is susceptible to heart disease and already has a history of some of them - for example, hypertension. In this case, the load on the unhealthy heart increases, which can provoke the development of the disease.

Pathological tachycardia can lead to disorders of blood dynamics (hemodynamics) in the human body.

Due to the disturbed rhythm of the heart, the ventricles do not have time to fill with blood, as a result, the volume of its release decreases and, as a result, the blood flow to organs and tissues decreases. This pathology is dangerous to health and can be a catalyst for the development of coronary disease and myocardial infarction. Therefore, it is very important to monitor your heart rate and promptly consult a doctor at the first manifestations of tachycardia not caused by external stimuli.

Is there a relationship between coffee and arrhythmia?

Research shows that there may be a slight increase in blood pressure if you drink a lot of coffee every day. But this is only true for those people who drink more than 2 liters of this drink. In reality, such patients practically do not exist. In addition, coffee itself will not cause ventricular arrhythmia. It will not be able to provoke myocardial infarction and other cardiovascular diseases, because is not their main cause. Therefore, a ban on coffee and other products containing a certain dose of caffeine is somewhat useless. When deciding to drink this drink, remember the following rules:

• coffee should be drunk in small quantities;
• nerve cells begin to suffer from large amounts of caffeine;
• To reduce the negative effects of caffeine, it is allowed to add a little cream or milk to coffee.

Restrictions for patients with rapid heartbeat

Reducing caffeine intake will help relieve tachycardia and other unpleasant symptoms. To do this you need to adhere to the following rules:

1. To reduce the risk of withdrawal symptoms, gradually reduce the amount of caffeine in your diet. Drink one less cup of coffee each day or avoid drinking it late at night.
2. Choose decaffeinated coffee.

3. Some medications, such as painkillers, contain about 130 mg of caffeine. When you use these medications, choose caffeine-free products.
4. When your heart rate increases, you need to drink the drink without sugar, you can add cream.
5. It is better to drink coffee thirty minutes after breakfast, and not on an empty stomach.
6. Instant coffee should be excluded from the diet altogether. It can disrupt the functioning of even a completely healthy heart.
7. Some medications and herbal supplements, including theophylline, echinacea, and some antibiotics such as ciprofloxacin and norfloxacin, may increase the effects of caffeine, making tachycardia more likely. If you start taking these medications, talk with your doctor about how much caffeine is safe for you.

How many cups of coffee can you drink in a day if you have arrhythmia?

The main thing in everything is moderation. A whole liter of this drink can disrupt the heart rhythm even in a healthy person. If you drink 2-3 cups of coffee a day, then nothing bad will happen to you. But this measure is an average. Each person has an individual reaction to this drink. Some people tolerate the effects of caffeine and other components of natural coffee very well, while others feel ill after a couple of sips. The standards for coffee and other drinks are as follows:

• healthy person – up to 400 mg of caffeine;
• pregnant woman - 300 mg of caffeine.

This norm is daily, i.e. You can drink no more than 4-5 glasses of this drink in 24 hours. Do not forget that caffeine is included in various teas, so they also need to be added.

Opinions of domestic and European scientists

On the issue of the principle of the influence of caffeine on blood pressure and vascular behavior, the views of Russian and American specialists differ. This substance itself can be present in both coffee and strong tea, so arrhythmia is caused by both equally.

Doctors in Russia often recommend avoiding invigorating drinks, while in the United States they say they have no harmful effects. That is, coffee for tachycardia is completely acceptable, moreover, coffee significantly reduces the risk of hospitalization for complications. As a result of research, Danish scientists received the following information:

• Heart arrhythmia and coffee have a rather vague connection;
• rapid pulse is not a guarantee of tachycardia;
• the amount of drink consumed does not affect the development of atrial fibrillation (atrial fibrillation);
• dysfunction of the sinus node depends on many factors, among which the increased concentration of caffeine occupies the smallest percentage.

Therefore, to the question whether it is possible to drink coffee with tachycardia, foreign experts confidently give a positive answer. In their understanding, the functioning of the heart and its rhythm changes constantly depending on conditions, so there is no serious reason for concern if the pace of work of some organs periodically varies. The fact that your heart rate increases after coffee is an absolutely safe reaction that does not require special attention.

As a general conclusion, it is worth noting that a person’s health is influenced by numerous aspects that he himself is not always able to recognize. Due to the fact that some details of the daily rhythm of life are left without due emphasis or due to a partial lack of observation, the real cause of unnatural changes in the body may be missed. Tachycardia and coffee, as already mentioned, are not mutually exclusive concepts, and the disease is not always a consequence of drinking the drink.

A purely individual approach is required here. In the end, each person’s body has its own characteristics, and the influence of various elements of the external environment cannot be the same for all people as a whole.

Is it possible to drink sweet coffee if you have arrhythmia?

Above we looked at cases where patients took lightly sweetened or regular coffee. It’s another matter if a person drinks very sweet coffee every day and believes that there is no relationship between it and arrhythmia. Sugar negatively affects the functioning of the cardiovascular system and metabolism. It disrupts the normal production of enzymes. When it enters the bloodstream in combination with caffeine, sugar causes the heart to pump faster. As a result, the pressure rises.

If you like coffee that is too sweet and your doctor has diagnosed you with arrhythmia, you will either have to change your taste preferences or give up the drink altogether. But there are exceptions here too. In some people, arrhythmia is accompanied by a sharp drop in blood pressure. Sweet, strong coffee will help normalize blood flow, which will lead to the elimination of symptoms of arrhythmia. In other cases, a sweet drink is allowed to be drunk only 1-2 times a day.

How to replace coffee

If a person has irregularities in the heart rate, then regular coffee should be replaced with decaffeinated coffee. It is recommended to drink it after waking up. The taste and smell are practically no different from a regular drink. It has energizing and invigorating properties, and also improves both visual and mental memory and increases concentration.

Chicory

An excellent substitute for coffee is chicory; it can be consumed in the presence of tachycardia. It is able to prevent and also relieve the inflammatory process. In addition, chicory has sedative and antipyretic properties. It does not affect the heart rate in any way, but rather increases muscle tone, relieves anxiety and irritability.

The drink can improve the condition of the heart muscle and cleanse the body of harmful substances and toxins. You can buy it at any store or prepare it yourself:

• 100 grams of chicory root should be fried over low heat;
• after the plant acquires a light brown color, turn off the gas;
• then it is cooled and ground using a coffee grinder.

For 10 grams of finished chicory you will need 200 milliliters of boiled water. If desired, you can add milk, cream, honey, cinnamon.

Dandelion coffee

If you have a rapid heartbeat, you can drink a drink made from bitter dandelions. To do this, 3 plant roots are chopped with a knife, placed on a baking sheet, and baked in the oven until brown. After which they should be ground and 1 teaspoon of the resulting powder poured into 200 ml of boiling water. If desired, you can add cream or milk to the finished drink. This coffee has antioxidants and tonic properties.

How are coffee, the central nervous system and arrhythmia related?

It is believed that coffee is extremely beneficial for the nervous system, but there are people who disagree with this statement. Upon careful examination of brain scans, one can notice that the structure of neural networks begins to change when this drink is abused. Most often, the area responsible for short-term memory is affected, i.e. able to remember events and phenomena that happened yesterday or today. Nerve impulses from the brain stop reaching the cardiovascular system normally, which can provoke arrhythmia.

On the other hand, 2-3 cups of coffee a day enhances a person’s cognitive functions. They increase vigor and improve the general condition of a person. Scientists from the Netherlands have diagnosed that drinking coffee among older people helps them improve their memory. They observed the experimental groups for 10 years. As a result, the group where people did not drink coffee at all demonstrated a decrease in mental activity by 7.5%. It's funny that in the same group the number of cardiovascular diseases, including various types of arrhythmias, increased.

Some studies suggest that people who enjoy drinking coffee are less likely to suffer from Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease, i.e. The effects of this drink can be compared to the benefits of a good workout.

Tachycardia from coffee - is this possible?

Coffee and coffee drinks do not lead to tachycardia. Tachycardia is, so to speak, an indicator that there are disturbances in the body and its functioning. The causes of tachycardia are quite commonplace in modern life: stress, excessive nicotine consumption, lack of sleep, overwork and alcohol. In these cases, coffee can worsen attacks of tachycardia if you drink it after lack of sleep, when your body is weakened by stress and overwork.

Caffeine sharply increases blood pressure and pulse, then after a cup of coffee you may feel a feeling of tachycardia, especially if you drank coffee on an empty stomach. If you feel normal, and only caffeine causes such rather unpleasant sensations, then you should change the volume and quality of coffee you drink. Coffee should only be of high quality.

A little advice. Drink a glass of water after a cup of coffee. This way you dilute the concentration of caffeine and therefore its effect, which in turn reduces the risk of tachycardia, surges in blood pressure and pulse.

Rules for drinking caffeinated drinks for people with arrhythmia

1 – 2 liters of coffee per day can cause disturbances in the well-being of even the healthiest person. There are practically no people who drink so much of it. The fact is that too much strong drinks can not only disrupt your heart rate, but also negatively affect the digestive and nervous systems.

As a result of roasting grains, acids are formed that can affect digestion and the state of the gastrointestinal tract. If you continue to drink the drink, gastritis and even peptic ulcers are possible. The situation is aggravated by the fact that caffeine provokes dehydration, to which the pancreas reacts poorly, and this is a more real problem than arrhythmia after coffee.

Therefore, if you have any health problems, you should adhere to the following rules:

• Always focus on your own well-being and control the dosage of caffeine-containing drinks.

• Do not exceed the number of cups of espresso you drink. The optimal dose per day is 3 cups, maximum 5.

• Add milk or cream to espresso to reduce the harmful effects of acids.

• If you have arrhythmia, you can drink coffee if you drink a glass of water before each cup.

For those people who do not drink espresso every day, arrhythmia from coffee may be more pronounced. In this case, you can drink it alternating with water to reduce the concentration of active substances.

Prevention of tachycardia

Prevention of tachycardia requires lifestyle changes, especially if there is a similar disease among close relatives. It is recommended to monitor your condition, regularly visit a cardiologist and undergo the necessary tests.

It is important to follow the specialist’s recommendations regarding not only treatment, but also lifestyle changes. Limiting coffee and other potentially hazardous drinks is imperative.

Do not forget about the need to regularly visit a specialist who will tell you what to do if your health worsens and help prevent dangerous complications. The attending physician should prescribe regular examinations. Diagnostic data allows timely detection of dangerous changes in the functioning of the heart and blood vessels.

If experts allow the consumption of caffeine-containing drinks in limited quantities, then if you feel unwell and have a strong heartbeat, you should still avoid them. Focus more on your own feelings, listening to the opinions of professionals.

Effect of caffeine on the body

The main substance in a strong coffee drink has a stimulating effect on the nervous system, which increases blood pressure and increases heart rate.

In moderate quantities, coffee can:

• increase performance by toning the body;
• improve positive reflexes and energize a person;
• Fatigue and drowsiness disappear.

Can it cause tachycardia?

Tachycardia is a disease in which weakness and rapid heartbeat occur, and the condition does not go away for more than 15 minutes. Coffee alone can cause an increase in heart rate only when the drink is abused and in combination with other provoking factors. Then the body signals the appearance of sweat on the forehead, a lack of air, dizziness, and an increased heart rate. Additional factors affecting heart function under the influence of caffeine are:

Heredity can influence how a person will react to a given drink.

• hereditary predisposition;
• unbalanced diet;
• quantity, type and method of preparation of coffee consumed;
• overweight;
• existing cardiovascular diseases.

Link between caffeine and heart disease

Tachycardia, one of the types of arrhythmia, increases when drinking coffee, since the alkaloids in its composition cause the blood vessels to constrict, which leads to an increase in the number of contractions per minute.

Doctors previously recommended that patients with tachycardia completely eliminate coffee if they have cardiac arrhythmias, but recent studies show that as the number of contractions increases, the rhythm may not change. Here we can conclude that a person’s well-being depends more on the amount of coffee consumed per day than on caffeine specifically.

Moreover, the antioxidants contained in grains benefit the body by preventing aging and helping to remove harmful substances. Their quantity directly depends on the degree of roasting - the stronger, the less antioxidants remain.

Lightly roasted beans contain 3.5%. There is much more in green coffee, so people with cardiovascular problems are recommended to drink green coffee rather than black coffee and in an amount of no more than 3 cups per day.