Caffeine won't make the heart flutter

Mar 23 (Reuters Health) - Moderate caffeine consumption does not appear to trigger an abnormal rhythm of the atria, the upper chambers of the heart, new research reports.

Danish investigators evaluated the effects of caffeine, consumed through coffee, tea, cola, cocoa or chocolate, in almost 48,000 people. The investigators found that those who consumed the most caffeine per day -- roughly 1,000 milligrams, or about 10 cups of coffee -- were no more likely to experience atrial fibrillation or flutter than people who drank the least amount, equivalent to between 2 and 3 cups of coffee each day.

In an accompanying editorial, Drs. Martijn B. Katan and Evert Schouten of Wageningen University and Research Center in the Netherlands, note that caffeine also does not appear to cause abnormal rhythms in the lower chambers of the heart, called ventricles, which can be deadly.

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