Coffee and High Blood Pressure

One of three Americans is affected by high blood pressure, a recognized risk factor for heart disease and stroke. It's well-known that the caffeine in coffee can cause a rise in bloood pressure in both normal and hypertensive individuals. One study, published in the European Journal of clinial Pharmacology in 1999, found that five cups of coffee a day over a period of about two months produced a modest increase in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Research has also shown that regular coffee drinkers may develop a tolerance to caffeine but that the elderly and people wih hypertansion might be more susceptible to caffeine's effects.