We’ve got some unfortunate news for latte lovers and espresso enthusiasts with high blood pressure and hypertension. A new study by London, Ontario’s Western University, in conjunction with the Lawson Health Research Institute, has uncovered that even an occasional cup of coffee might adversely affect blood pressure test results and reduce the effectiveness of some blood pressure medication.
The research team, led by Dr. David Bailey, a Lawson scientist, carried out three tests on 13 subjects, with about a week break between each test. No coffee or caffeine-containing products were allowed for 48 hours prior to the tests (alcohol, grapefruit, marmalade, tobacco and medications were also not permitted). The average age of the subjects was 52.
For the first test, participants were given a 10-ounce cup of black coffee. For the second, they were given a 10 milligram dose of felodipine, a medication that lowers blood pressure. For the third and final test, participants were given both coffee and felodipine.
Results revealed that after abstaining from coffee for 48 hours, caffeine levels were significantly reduced. However, the next time the participants drank coffee, their blood pressures rose. In fact, participants in the coffee-only group experienced a surge in blood pressure which remained elevated for several hours after coffee was consumed. The study also found that the combination of coffee and felodipine resulted in higher blood pressure levels than felodipine on its own.
According to the research, it appears that even one cup of coffee containing a relatively low amount of caffeine can interfere with a medication’s anti-hypertensive effect. This could be because caffeine blocks the positive effect of the drug on the blood vessels.
Bottom line: If you have high blood pressure, it may be time to make the switch to decaf.
