Caffeine may have been unfairly portrayed as the villain in some heart rhythm disorders, according to a new study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Longstanding medical advice has held that patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) should cut back on their caffeine intake – or eliminate it entirely – to improve their condition. Wong et al. conducted an investigation into the relationship between regular caffeinated coffee consumption and the recurrence of atrial fibrillation (AF) or atrial flutter.
The DECAF randomised clinical trial, conducted across five international centres, enrolled 200 patients with persistent AF who were successfully cardioverted and then randomised to either consume caffeinated coffee (averaging one cup daily) or abstain from coffee and caffeine for six months. But contrary to expectations, the caffeine group actually saw an improvement in symptoms.
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