Coffee consumption and coronary heart disease in middle-aged Swedish men

The possible association between coffee and myocardial infarction (MI) has been studied both prospectively in a random population sample of Swedish men aged 50 years (n=834) and with case control methodology in non-selected male patients surviving a MI (age 40-57 years, n=230). Coffee consumption was significantly associated with two other important risk factors for MI, namely smoking and alcoholic intemperance, but weak (non-significant) relationships were found with serum cholesterol, serum triglycerides, systolic or diastolic BP, and dyspnoea on exertion. In the prospective study there was no significant relationship between coffee and MI, either with univariate or multivariate analysis. The retrospectively reported coffee consumption of MI patients was higher than of those who later suffered a MI (the population sample). With the aid of non-parametric multivariate analysis of the combined population sample and the series of MI patients, a significant association was found between coffee consumption and MI. The experience of having had a MI may have affected the patients' rating of coffee consumption, or their consumption may have really increased during some months or a few years before the MI.