25 Aug 2022
Lately, there has been some excellent news stating the health benefits of coffee as it has certain advantages on health but contrastly, America’s favorite wake-up drink, which these days has been on top of the list, has some effects on health and also on certain medicines especially hypertension.
With certain hypertension medicines, caffeine is said to have an effect on blood pressure.
A vast mass of the population consumes caffeine on a regular basis through forms of coffee, soft drinks, chocolates, etc. while these habits may not create problems for many of us but there are exceptions.
Caffeine may have an impact on Blood Pressure, especially for those who are on hypertension medications like losartan.
Losartan, this medicine is known for its use to lower & influence our heart rate. It works by relaxing our blood vessels to maintain the normal blood pressure in the arteries and veins.
As said, some practices in medications come with unwanted effects. One such quiet effect of losartan is irregular heartbeat, also called Heart palpitation. This is because losartan contains Potassium, whose higher levels lead to symptoms like increased heart rate, irregular heart rhythms, etc.
How Caffeine Affects Blood Pressure Medication?
Studies reveal that Blood pressure was noted to be increased in patients with Hypertension & on antihypertensive medication. Therefore, caffeine has been said to have a specific effect with the antihypertensive class of medications like beta blockers, Angiotensin receptor blockers, and Calcium channel blockers.
What If You Take Losartan And Coffee Together?
Coffee is quite a popular drink around the globe. The fact is that caffeinated coffee has a noticeable effect on blood pressure, while decaffeinated coffee shows a lower or minimal rise.
Losartan is an antihypertensive drug used for the treatment of rise in blood pressure. While coffee is known to raise the mercury levels on the sphygmomanometer, the medicine may not work well and do its job to the fullest. Caffeine is also said to produce symptoms like anxiety, fast heartbeats, and palpitations. So Consuming too much coffee when on antihypertensive treatment may have a nullifying effect on blood pressure.
And if you are reading this you might be on Losartan or other hypertension medicines, in order to maintain your medicine course hassle free you should not take coffee and losartan at same time.
The Proof Center
The proof center provides you with researched studies explained in a simple manner related to your doubts and questions that will help you make better and wise Health decisions backed by a proof in your mind.
The Effect Of Coffee On Blood Pressure- A Systematic Review & Meta-Analysis
This study & meta-analysis conducted had the primary objective of studying the evidence of short-term & long-term effects of caffeine/coffee intake on blood pressure, which showed a mean increase of 8.1 mm Hg (systolic) & 5.7mm Hg (diastolic) after the administration of (2-3 cups) caffeine. It was noted that caffeine consumption leads to an acute increase in blood pressure for around 3 hours (Mesas AE, Leon-Muñoz LM, Rodriguez-Artalejo F, Lopez-Garcia E).
A Study Of Decaffeinated Or Regular Coffee On Blood Pressure
Some of us consume coffee to satisfy our taste buds, while some of us consume it to kick off the day and get going. Coffee today has turned out to be a fancy fundamental treat.
Yes, caffeine does have some beneficial effects like increased mental alertness, improved cognition, and increased concentration and performance. Also, it has its share of adverse effects like increased heartbeats, palpitations, gastric ulcers, and heartburn.
Well, coffee lovers here may be stress-free and relaxed because, according to studies, consuming decaffeinated coffee more than regular caffeinated coffee reduces or leads to a controlled Blood Pressure.
Coffee lovers might not appreciate a cup of decaffeinated coffee due to its minimal adrenaline gush on caffeine. It is stated that 7-10 cups of decaf coffee equals 1-2 cups of regular coffee. For health benefits, for every cup of regular coffee you consume, you might as well drink 1 glass of water instead (Van Dusseldorp M, Smits P, Thien T, Katan MB).
What Is The Solution For Avoiding Losartan And Coffee?
It is undoubtedly difficult to lay off your morning coffee, but there is a definite solution for all coffee lovers. Consumption of decaffeinated coffee rather than caffeinated coffee may serve some beneficial purposes.
Effect of coffee starts as immediately as 30 minutes after its consumption, effects peak at 1-2 hours & results last for about 3 hours. Also, the solution can be consuming coffee as soon as possible before & after medicine as these effects of coffee can be controlled & managed by the antihypertensive medication.
How Many Cups Of Decaffeinated Coffee Should You Take?
Here is good news for coffee lovers, consuming 2-3 cups of decaffeinated coffee is better than the original coffee ones, it lowers the risk of heart disease & also extends life span, according to studies. Decaf Coffee may be included as a part of a healthy diet.
Losartan and coffee will create a spike in blood pressure to an extent as people are consuming caffeine in various amounts, hence a better option.
Does Decaffeinated Coffee Raise Blood Pressure?
People who enjoy decaf coffee may be getting an additional health lift than they know. People who consumed decaf coffee on a regular basis did not show any raise or increase in blood pressure, a study suggested and already explained in the proof center. Decaffeinated coffee has low content of caffeine hence using decaf will not affect the losartan and your blood pressure will be controlled.
When Can You Check Your Blood Pressure After Consuming Coffee?
While caffeine levels are said to peak 30-120 minutes post consumption of coffee & the effects of caffeine on BP show changes of 3-15 mm Hg systolic and 4-13mm Hg diastolic. The Ideal time to monitor your BP should be 3-4 hours after enjoying a hot brewed cup of latte.
The reason varies from covid and especially people who were on medications. Read Full Post Here
Conclusion
Coffee may seem to have beneficial effects on health, but mindful consumption or consumption of decaffeinated coffee is advised for all coffee lovers.
It is clear now using losartan with coffee can make the medicine ineffective, hence can cause problems like heart palpitations or irregular heart beat and can affect cardiac health in the form of blood pressure. Else you can try different options like Decaf Coffee or after consuming coffee don’t take losartan quickly. Just as losartan and grape fruit leads to interactions same goes with the losartan and coffee.
Reducing the amount of caffeine intake has not only excellent benefits for maintaining cardiovascular health and maintaining stable blood pressure but also has other health benefits like lowered anxiety, better sleep, better nutrient absorption, stronger teeth.
Advice to coffee lovers and the hypertension patients there is to be mindful about the next cup of coffee they consume and to read this article before you finish the next cup.
