Does coffee consumption increase the risk of heart disease?

There is no evidence that coffee consumption increases the likelihood that someone will develop heart disease. (LOE = 2b)

Lopez-Garcia E, van Dam RM, Willett WC, et al. Coffee consumption and coronary heart disease in men and women: a prospective cohort study. Circulation 2006;113:2045-2053.  [PMID:16636169]

Cohort (prospective)

Government

Population-based

Many patients avoid coffee, often on the advice of their physicians, because of concerns that it may increase the risk of heart disease. The current study is the largest and longest to date on the subject and combines data from the Health Professionals Follow-up Study (N = 44,005) and the Nurses' Health Study (N = 84,488). These studies began in 1986 and 1976, respectively, and provide 14 years and 20 years of follow-up. None of the participants had coronary artery disease (CAD) at the beginning of the study. Participants reported their typical daily caffeine consumption via surveys every 4 years. The primary outcome was nonfatal myocardial infarction or fatal CAD before June 1, 2000. Perhaps the most remarkable thing about the study was that approximately one third of the male health professionals and one fourth of the nurses drank no coffee at all! After adjusting for age, smoking, and other risk factors, the relative risks for the primary outcome among men were all between 0.72 and 1.07, and none were statistically significant. Results were similar for women. No association was found for total caffeine intake, decaffeinated coffee, or tea either.