With almost three-quarters of American adults drinking coffee, it is safe to say that Americans love their java.
But heavy coffee drinkers who suffer from hypertension may want to reconsiderreaching for that additional cup of Joe. Recent studies point to heavy coffee drinking being associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular disease.
A recent study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association provides the details. The study was a large, observational, prospective Japanese study of more than 18.000 subjects. Researchers were looking to determine the impact of coffee versus green tea consumption on cardiovascular (CVD) mortality among people with varying degrees of hypertension.
What researchers found was that heavy coffee drinkers (more than 2 cups a day) were linked to twice the CVD mortality in people with severe hypertension when compared to those with severe hypertension who didn't drink coffee. Coffee drinkers who did not have hypertension or who only had grade-1 hypertension did not see an increased risk of CVD mortality. Green tea drinkers were not associated with an increased risk of CVD mortality across any hypertension category.
Researchers involved in the study state that for patients with severe hypertension, it is best to avoid heavy coffee consumption.
