Increased Coronary Disease Risk Found Only in Coffee Drinkers Who Smoke

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March 6, 2007 (Orlando, FL) - A new study has suggested that drinking coffee does not raise heart-disease risk in nonsmokers, but it does appear to raise CHD risk in those who smoke now or who have in the past [1].

The study, presented here at the American Heart Association 2007 Annual Conference on Cardiovascular Disease Epidemiology and Prevention, was conducted by a team led by Dr Sheri Koplik (Kaiser Permanente Medical Center, Oakland, CA).

They analyzed data from 127 212 health-plan members, using a hazards model with five covariates (age, sex, ethnicity, body-mass index, and smoking) that yielded relative-risk estimates taking into account cups per day of coffee and smoking levels.

They found that among 58 888 persons who never smoked, coffee drinking was unrelated to heart-disease risk. But among ex-smokers, smokers of less than a pack a day, and smokers of one or more packs a day, increasing coffee intake was associated with progressively higher risk of developing heart disease.

Current smokers who drank six or more cups of coffee a day had a 30% higher risk of heart disease than those who did not drink coffee. Findings were consistent in subgroups; cholesterol levels had little effect. "We conclude that heavy coffee drinking is related to increased heart disease risk only in smokers," Koplik et al concluded.

Koplik told heartwire that the mechanism behind this effect was not known, but it appears that smoking and coffee “may share a common pathway” in increasing heart-disease risk. This idea is also consistent with a previous study that suggested that coffee and smoking exerted a synergistic detrimental effect on aortic stiffness.

“It is also possible that heavy smokers and people who drink lots of coffee share other traits that could increase their risk of heart disease that we have not controlled for, but on the basis of these results l would advise that people who smoke or who have ever smoked should cut their coffee consumption,” Koplik added.

Koplik S et al. 2007 Annual Conference on Cardiovascular Disease Epidemiology and Prevention; February 28-March 1, 2007; Orlando, FL.

Source: http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/553181?src=mp

[amanda]

Both coffee and cigarette can cause vasoconstriction. Because of the doubled effect fat easily accumulates in our blood vessel that could create an obstruction,, thereby leading to hypertension and heart disease.

[Reezone]

hey this is a good article! Can i put it in my blog & link back to this thread?