Coffe consumption and atrial fibrillation

Background. Coffee is one of the most popular beverages consumed in a large amount in Western Countries. Coffee contains several hundred different substances but its effects oncardiovascular system have been mainly related to caffeine. Caffeine is the most widely consumed behaviorally active substance in the world. The study evaluated the influence ofhabitual high espresso coffee consumption, nutritional factors and acute stress events on the development and conversion of acute lone atrial fibrillation (LAF). Methods. The study group included 220 patients (pts) with LAF. The coffee consumption, alcool and smoking, and body mass index BMI were investigated. Pts underwent a series of cognitive tests to evaluate acute psycological stress (mean life acute stress score LCU). A control group age- and sex-matched was selected and compared.