Is it possible to drink coffee if you have heart arrhythmia: pros and cons

Irina Baranova

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.

Research by scientists

Unlike many other small studies conducted by private institutions, scientists have become quite seriously interested in the connection between coffee and arrhythmia. In a joint project between the United States and Denmark, scientists observed a huge group of volunteers, about 130,000 people, for several years. These were men and women aged from 18 to 90 years (mostly under 50 years old), some of whom did not drink caffeine at all, others drank 1-3 cups a day, and almost a fifth drank at least 4 cups of their favorite drink per day.

Over the course of the study, 2.7% of participants were hospitalized for arrhythmia or atrial fibrillation. According to the research results, it was revealed that, regardless of gender, age and place of residence, those participants who drank 1-3 cups of coffee per day were hospitalized 7% less often, and those who drank 4-5 cups were 10% less likely. than those who didn't drink coffee at all.

Scientists were unable to find any specific link between coffee consumption and hospital admission for arrhythmia. This proves that you don't need to give up coffee just to avoid arrhythmia.

If you don't usually drink coffee, you shouldn't start to prevent arrhythmia. But if you drink, you shouldn’t give it up or reduce your usual dose. This can affect anything, but not arrhythmia.

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.

Causes of atrial fibrillation and methods of its treatment

Coffee is not capable of causing tachycardia. This condition occurs due to other circumstances. But the caffeine contained in the drink increases heart rate and blood pressure. This is why a feeling of tachycardia may occur after drinking coffee.

In order to reduce the likelihood of pathology, you need to limit the consumption of drinks containing caffeine. After coffee you should drink a small amount of water. This will reduce the concentration of caffeine in the body.

normosystolic arrhythmia - at a frequency of 60 - 100 contractions per minute;
Bradysystolic - the heart beats less than 60 times per minute;
tachysystolic - over 100 beats.

Separately, with atrial fibrillation, there is a pathological condition such as atrial flutter, when erratic contractions reach 500 in 60 seconds, an extremely dangerous condition when the ventricles do not have time to fill with blood, which leads to general cardiovascular failure and threatens cardiac arrest at any time .

Symptoms of atrial fibrillation may not appear for a long time, especially in young people. The severity of clinical manifestations depends on the type of atrial fibrillation discussed above. The tachysystolic form looks brighter. Patients complain of frequent heartbeats, fatigue, shortness of breath, muscle tremors, increased sweating, especially at night, excessive urination, dizziness and fainting, and panic attacks.

The disease is first detected in the form of an attack, and then as a periodic form. Less commonly, a chronic course of atrial fibrillation develops with mild symptoms, so such patients rarely present any complaints. Symptoms of atrial fibrillation can be supplemented by individual manifestations.

During examination in patients with atrial fibrillation, a frequent irregular pulse is heard. There is a pulse deficit when the number of heart contractions is actually greater than the number of palpable beats of the pulse wave. The diagnosis will be helped by an ECG, daily monitoring of the electrical impulses of the heart; in severe situations, an invasive electrophysiological examination is carried out with the introduction of electrodes into the cavities of the heart.

Atrial fibrillation is an insidious disease, dangerous for its complications, such as the development of heart failure and blood clots. Thrombi, detached from their place of birth, penetrate through the bloodstream into small vessels, blocking their lumen, which leads to severe ischemia, for example, in the brain or heart muscle, which can lead to death or disability for the patient in the future.

Treatment of atrial fibrillation should be prescribed by a cardiologist; self-medication can cause irreparable harm. When an attack is first detected, an inpatient examination and selection of therapy is recommended, taking into account the cause of the disease, the presence of concomitant pathologies, and the individual characteristics of the patient.

There are conservative and surgical treatment methods. The first include the prescription of various medications: drugs to slow the pulse (beta-blockers); antiarrhythmic drugs; anticoagulants to prevent the formation of blood clots and antiplatelet agents to reduce blood viscosity.

Treatment of atrial fibrillation with surgical methods is carried out in the absence of effect from conservative treatment. The most proven method is the implantation of a pacemaker under the patient’s skin, that is, an artificial pacemaker that ensures constant rhythmic work of the heart. Another method is catheter ablation, which is a minimally invasive procedure to neutralize myocardial cells responsible for fibrillation.

After hospitalization, patients diagnosed with atrial fibrillation continue to take medications prescribed by the attending doctor for life, and treatment with folk remedies is also carried out. Herbs and tinctures are widely used here; in particular, a mixture of equal parts of motherwort, valerian and hawthorn tincture has proven itself well. After preparation, store the mixture in the refrigerator. You need to take 1 teaspoon before meals three times a day.

Use a decoction of viburnum berries, two-thirds of a glass, twice a day. In addition, a decoction of dill seeds also helps with atrial fibrillation if you drink a third of a glass three times a day before meals. There is a well-known recipe for a mixture of equal parts honey (half a kilo) and lemon with the addition of 20 apricot kernels; take 1 tablespoon twice a day before meals.

There are many folk recipes; in any case, when choosing them, you definitely need the advice and recommendation of your doctor. Treatment of atrial fibrillation is a responsible and serious matter. And you need to take your health even more seriously, treat illnesses in a timely manner, prevent the development of complications, not self-medicate, and lead a healthy lifestyle.

It is carried out using different groups of drugs. Complex therapy is mainly used, including sodium, potassium and calcium channel blockers, and beta blockers. All of them are aimed at stabilizing heart cells, reducing the influence of the sympathetic nervous system on the myocardium, increasing oxygen supply, and restoring normal heart contraction.

Is it possible to treat arrhythmia surgically? It is used only for serious pathological changes that threaten death. Radiofrequency ablation, pacemakers, and a cardioverter-defibrillator are mainly used. After installation of artificial devices, interruptions in heart rhythm are quickly eliminated.

Potassium salts are used in the treatment of abnormal heart rhythm, including in the treatment of extrasystole. Types of arrhythmia respond ambiguously to drugs with potassium. Ventricular extrasystole responds best to treatment; the effect is weaker when treating supraventricular types of this arrhythmia. No visible effect is achieved at all in the treatment of reflex and functional extrasystole.

Scheme for using potassium preparations (potassium chloride):

On the first day of treatment – 6-14 g once;
In the future - 1.5-2 g 3-4 times a day;
Lasting positive effect – 1 g 3-4 times a day;
If absorption from the gastrointestinal tract is impaired - intravenously using the drip method as part of a polarizing mixture;
When hypokalemia is combined with acidosis - IV in combination with potassium bicarbonate.

In addition to potassium chloride, Panangin (Asparkam) is used to saturate the body with this element. It is used according to the following scheme:

Orally – 1-2 tablets 3 times a day;
IV injections - slowly 10-20 ml of the drug per 20 ml of saline;
IV drip method - with 250 ml of 5% glucose solution.

The dosage of drugs is reduced when extrasystoles disappear or their number decreases. Treatment with potassium preparations is carried out under ECG monitoring, as it reduces myocardial excitability and affects conductivity.

Contraindications to the use of potassium supplements:

Kidney failure;
Complete atrioventricular block.

Atrial fibrillation is an insidious disease, dangerous for its complications, such as the development of heart failure and blood clots. Thrombi, detached from their place of birth, penetrate through the bloodstream into small vessels, blocking their lumen, which leads to severe ischemia, for example, in the brain or heart muscle, which can lead to death or disability for the patient in the future.

Treatment of atrial fibrillation should be prescribed by a cardiologist; self-medication can cause irreparable harm. When an attack is first detected, an inpatient examination and selection of therapy is recommended, taking into account the cause of the disease, the presence of concomitant pathologies, and the individual characteristics of the patient.

The most proven method is the implantation of a pacemaker under the patient’s skin, that is, an artificial pacemaker that ensures constant rhythmic work of the heart. Another method is catheter ablation, this is a minimally invasive procedure for neutralizing myocardial cells responsible for fibrillation. After hospitalization, patients diagnosed with atrial fibrillation continue to take medications prescribed by the attending doctor for life, and treatment with folk remedies is also carried out.

Herbs and tinctures are widely used here; in particular, a mixture of equal parts of motherwort, valerian and hawthorn tincture has proven itself well. After preparation, store the mixture in the refrigerator. You need to take 1 teaspoon before meals three times a day. Use a decoction of viburnum berries, two-thirds of a glass, twice a day.

In addition, a decoction of dill seeds also helps with atrial fibrillation if you drink a third of a glass three times a day before meals. There is a well-known recipe for a mixture of equal parts honey (half a kilo) and lemon with the addition of 20 apricot kernels; take 1 tablespoon twice a day before meals. There are many folk recipes; in any case, when choosing them, you definitely need the advice and recommendation of your doctor.

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.

Is it possible to play sports with arrhythmia: what do cardiologists advise?

Studies have shown that there is a relationship between sports activity and the number of hours spent doing it and the occurrence of heart rhythm disturbances. Most often, athletes experience atrial fibrillation caused by atrial fibrillation. Despite the fact that patients with significant heart defects, hypertension and most of them are elderly seek medical help with this diagnosis, a third of patients are absolutely healthy. And these are the people who are actively involved in sports.

Based on these data, we can say with confidence that long-term physical activity is harmful to the body. And if atrial fibrillation occurs, they are strictly contraindicated.

But is it possible to play sports with arrhythmia if the exercises are not intense and the time allocated for the activity is short? Yes, light and targeted physical exercise in such cases will be beneficial for the patient’s cardiovascular system. But the selection of certain exercises should be carried out under the supervision of a cardiologist, since each person has his own form and degree of the disease.

The most effective therapeutic exercise is walking. They begin classes in doses, first walking short distances, then gradually lengthening them. At the same time, every day the patient monitors his pulse and general health. If your heart rate increases, and while walking you experience shortness of breath or dizziness, then you need to reduce the pace or time of exercise.

Another good exercise is climbing stairs. For patients who have an elevator at home, it is better to use such a simple simulator. But you also need to walk, gradually increasing the number of steps you take. Every day you can add 2 steps, then the load will be useful and enjoyable.

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.

Arrhythmia after coffee: how much can you drink?

Caffeine increases heart rate, thereby causing tachycardia. Some of the latest studies conducted by Danish scientists have shown that caffeine, which is found in the natural grain of the plant at a minimum dosage, does not affect the heart rhythm.

Foreign scientists conducted an experiment; people with rhythm disturbances took part in it. The essence of the experiment was that some people drank large amounts of coffee every day, while others gave it up altogether. The result of the study was that 20% of people were hospitalized, most of whom did not drink coffee at all.

The connection between coffee and heart disease: research by scientists

Scientists have studied the issue of drinking coffee with arrhythmia disease quite deeply. The joint project of the US and Denmark countries involved approximately 140 thousand male and female people in the age range of 18-90 years. The purpose of the experiment was to distribute tasks among groups of people.

1st group	Didn't drink coffee
2nd group	Up to 3 cups per day
3rd group	From 4 servings

During the experiment, it was recorded that 3% of people were admitted to the hospital with a diagnosis of arrhythmia or atrial fibrillation. As the experiment showed, it doesn’t matter what gender, nationality and age a person is. 7% fewer people who drank 1-3 drinks were hospitalized. And those who drank 4 or more servings a day were 10% less hospitalized compared to those who did not drink coffee.

Scientists have not recorded a connection between coffee and hospitalization with a diagnosis of arrhythmia. This suggests that you should not give up the drink to avoid arrhythmia.

Chemical composition and effect on the body

Caffeine, which is contained in beans, belongs to the group of alkaloids. They stimulate the activity of the central nervous system. The drink has a tonic effect, increases mental performance, as well as short-term physical endurance.

The maximum permissible dose is 0.3 grams per dose over a period of 4 hours. A constant increase in caffeine intake leads to high excitability, and as a result, sleep disturbance and heart overload.

Trigonelline, an alkaloid, gives coffee an indescribable aroma. It is tasteless and odorless in its natural form, but when exposed to heat it becomes pyridine, which gives the coffee aroma. Trigonelline is also closely related to niacin, which is vitamin B3. Its molecule is released from trigonelline when heated, so the drink always contains this useful element.

Nicotinic acid affects metabolism. It also stimulates the nervous system. But an excess amount of acid in the body develops the disease pellagra.

After technological processing of the grains, they contain almost all representatives of the B vitamin group. The drink also contains vitamins A, D, E. They are necessary for the growth and development of the body, stimulation of metabolic processes associated with the absorption of calcium and phosphorus, and the development of the processes of reproduction of immune cells systems.

The composition of the drink is rich in amino acids and proteins. They nourish the body's cells and satisfy energy needs. Additionally, grains contain amino acids, which the body most often absorbs from meat and fish products. They are needed so that the protective functions are always as active as possible.

In raw grains, carbohydrates make up approximately 50% of the total mass. They are presented as sucrose and fructose, as well as cellulose and fiber. Additionally, they contain pectin, which nourishes nerve cells in the brain.

Grains contain minerals:

They are part of the bone structure, nourish muscles, and influence the regulation of the cardiovascular system and brain.

Considering this chemical composition, the effect of the drink on the human body will be approximately the same:

Excessive caffeine consumption can cause addiction;
may cause dehydration;
causes an increase in pressure up to 15 mm Hg. Art. in healthy people, in those suffering from hypertension, the jumps may be greater;
has no direct effect on the heart muscle, but has an indirect effect by increasing blood pressure by stimulating the central nervous system;
unfiltered coffee increases blood cholesterol;
temporarily improves performance, attention, memory;
In older people who drink coffee, potassium and calcium can be washed out of their bones, which increases the risk of cracks and fractures;
If you drink more than 2 cups a day, you may develop urolithiasis.

To drink or not to drink during arrhythmia

There is no clear prohibition on drinking the drink for people with arrhythmia; some people actually experience increased blood pressure and heart rate after drinking coffee, while others do not. Therefore, doctors say that arrhythmia is not a contraindication to drinking the drink, but in small quantities, since some risk is still present.

Consuming 2 liters per day or more will have a serious negative impact on the psyche and heart. Coffee in limited quantities can improve endothelial function, which normalizes heart function.

But all this applies only to coffee with natural beans. Those drinks that are made from soluble powder do not provide any benefit, and in some cases, can harm the body.

How and how much to drink

You can't drink coffee on an empty stomach and preferably in the first half of the day. This is due to the fact that the composition contains chlorogenic acid, which is recommended for patients with arrhythmia. It is better to take this acid in the morning to feel good throughout the day. We drink no more than 300 ml per day.

You can take it with milk or cream, this will weaken the effect of caffeine on the heart muscle. We also wash down a cup of coffee with a glass of water. It is necessary to take into account that caffeine is included in tea and some other drinks. Therefore, we give preference to herbal or natural fruit tea.

You should forget about sugar, as it, when paired with caffeine, speeds up the number of contractions of the heart muscle.

Arrhythmia after coffee in healthy people

The drink in its form does not harm the human body. But everyone must know some features of drinking the drink:

You should not drink more than five cups a day, and preferably no more than three;
It is better to avoid coffee that does not contain caffeine, as it can cause cholelithiasis;
moderate consumption can temporarily increase mental and physical activity;
Once in the body, caffeine begins to act after 5 minutes;
By diluting the drink with cream or milk, you can slow down the effect of caffeine;
The larger a person’s mass, the less pronounced the drink affects him.

In a healthy person, arrhythmia may occur sporadically in case of excessive consumption or in case of prolonged lack of sleep.

Blood pressure and pulse may also rise, but this does not particularly affect the functioning of the cardiovascular system and is a normal reaction to caffeine.

Small portions per day, on the contrary, are even beneficial for the person and the functioning of the heart, but you should not increase the daily dosage.

Source: https://heart-info.ru/aritmiya/coffee/

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.

Can coffee cause arrhythmia?

No, the disease “arrhythmia” does not occur just because you drink coffee. Unless you drink more than 5-6 cups a day, and of strong drink. And then, in this case, the problem is in the heart itself, and coffee can only provoke tachycardia, but this also happens to completely healthy people. And the problem here is only an overdose of caffeine.

If you drink coffee in moderation, it will not cause arrhythmia. The reaction, of course, is individual, but in general the data is exactly the same. You will not get arrhythmia if you drink 2-3 cups of coffee a day.