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Coffee drinking and nonfatal myocardial infarction in men under 55 years of age
L Rosenberg1, J R Palmer, J P Kelly
1Slone Epidemiology Unit, School of Public Health, Boston University School of Medicine, MA 02146.
Insights
Drinking multiple cups of coffee daily significantly elevates the risk of myocardial infarction in men under 55. Higher daily intake of caffeine-containing coffee correlates with a greater risk of heart attack.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Epidemiology
- Nutritional Science
- Public Health
Background:
- Coffee consumption is widespread globally.
- The association between coffee intake and cardiovascular events requires further clarification.
- Previous studies have yielded conflicting results regarding coffee and heart health.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between coffee consumption and the risk of nonfatal first myocardial infarction.
- To assess the dose-response effect of caffeine-containing coffee on heart attack risk.
- To examine potential modifying factors such as age and smoking status.
Main Methods:
- A hospital-based case-control study design was employed.
- 1,873 male patients with first nonfatal myocardial infarctions were compared to 1,161 controls.
- Data on coffee consumption and major cardiovascular risk factors were collected and analyzed.
Main Results:
- A significant trend of increased myocardial infarction risk was observed with higher daily intake of caffeine-containing coffee.
- Relative risks ranged from 1.4 (1-2 cups) to 2.9 (≥10 cups) compared to non-drinkers.
- The association persisted across different age groups and in both smokers and nonsmokers.
Conclusions:
- Caffeine-containing coffee consumption appears to increase the risk of myocardial infarction in men under 55.
- Men consuming five or more cups daily may face a twofold or greater increased risk.
- Further research is needed to clarify the role of decaffeinated coffee and long-term consumption patterns.
Abstract:
The relation of coffee consumption to the risk of nonfatal first myocardial infarction in men under 55 years of age was assessed in a hospital-based case-control study conducted from 1980 to 1983 in hospitals in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, and New York: 1,873 men with first nonfatal myocardial infarctions were compared with 1,161 controls admitted for conditions unrelated to coffee ingestion. After allowance for major risk factors for myocardial infarction, the relative risk estimate for recent consumption of caffeine-containing coffee increased with increasing level of daily intake, from 1.4 for one to two cups per day to 1.6 for three to four cups, 1.8 for five to nine cups, and 2.9 for greater than or equal to 10 cups, relative to consumption of no coffee (p less than 0.001 for trend). The association was apparent in each age group and in both smokers and nonsmokers. For those who drank decaffeinated coffee only, on the basis of small numbers, there was a suggestion of an increased risk among men who had consumed at least five cups daily for less than five years but not among those who had drunk this amount for at least five years; whether the apparent association among the shorter-term drinkers was due to previous consumption of caffeine-containing coffee could not be determined. The findings suggest that caffeine-containing coffee increases the risk of myocardial infarction and that men who drink at least five cups daily may increase their risk by about twofold or more.