Is coffee drinking bad for people with Afib? Here’s what one study found

A few of my friends have atrial fibrillation, often referred to as Afib. This is a condition where the heart’s upper chamber beats irregularly and fast. It can cause dizziness, fatigue, chest pain and shortness of breath. It is an important condition to diagnose and treat since it increases the risk for stroke. My friends are not alone with this problem, as it is estimated that 1 in 22 adults experience Afib. This condition becomes more common with age. About 10 percent of people over age 80 will experience this condition.

A study from the Journal of the American Medical Association published Nov. 9 looked at how coffee might affect the reoccurrence of Afib after a cardioversion. Cardioversion is a medical procedure used to restore a normal heart rhythm for someone who has Afib. Think of a medical show you’ve seen where they put paddles on someone’s chest to deliver an electrical stimulation to revive their heart. That’s cardioversion. It’s a temporary fix not a cure.

This study recruited 200 coffee drinking adults who had a successful cardioversion. They were divided into two groups of 100. One group was to drink one cup of coffee a day. The other group was told to completely abstain from coffee and caffeinated drinks. The study lasted six months. At the end of the study period subjects were assessed for reoccurrence of either Afib or atrial flutter lasting 30 seconds or longer.

At the six-month follow-up, a reoccurrence of Afib or atrial flutter was documented in 111 patients: 47 patients in the coffee consumption group and 64 patients in the abstinence group. The time to reoccurrence was longer in the coffee consumption group than in the abstinence group.

The authors conclude that consumption of caffeinated coffee was associated with a significantly lower reoccurrence of Afib or atrial flutter. The over-consumption of caffeine makes some people jittery, so these results might seem confusing. Coffee has many bio active compounds that can contribute to this positive outcome.

If you have Afib, coffee might not be off limits. But of course talk to your doctor about your particular situation.

Sheah Rarback MS is a dietitian nutritionist in private practice in Miami.