Coffee sans healthy diet may cause heart trouble

People who drink lots of coffee but who don't follow a Mediterranean-style diet are more likely to have atrial fibrillation.

Atrial fibrillation is the most common cardiac arrhythmia (abnormal heart rhythm) that involves the two upper chambers of the heart. In this condition, the heart's two upper chambers quiver instead of beating regularly, leading to heart palpitations, shortness of breath, fatigue and an increase in the risk of stroke.

To investigate the relationship between diets, atrial fibrillation and coffee intake, researchers from Italy asked the patients who had been recently diagnosed with this common heart arrhythmia to supply information about their dietary habits, including caffeine consumption. Their diets were compared with those of people without atrial fibrillation. Daily coffee intake was divided into four categories: low (one cup/day), medium (two to three cups/day), heavy (more than three cups/day) and none.

Patients were also ranked according to their adherence to the Mediterranean diet, which is rich in whole grains, olive oil, fruits and vegetables and includes little red meat.

It was observed that people with atrial fibrillation were less likely to follow the Mediterranean diet than those without the heart condition, according to the study. Those with atrial fibrillation also consumed more red meat and full-fat dairy products. It was also noted by the researchers that patients with the abnormal heart rhythm consumed more of their total dietary antioxidants from coffee compared to other food sources, such as fruits, vegetables and wine. The heaviest coffee drinkers were also more likely to have atrial fibrillation than those who drank less.

The above findings suggests that high intake of coffee increases the risk of arrhythmias in people without known cardiac disease.