COFFEE CONSUMPTION, BLOOD-PRESSURE TONUS AND REACTIVITY TO PHYSICAL CHALLENGE IN 338 WOMEN

The relationships of coffee consumption habits and cardiovascular tonus at rest and in response to an orthostatic and an ergometric challenge were determined in 338 nonsmoking women. Habitual coffee consumption was unrelated to blood pressure. Coffee consumption on the test day was associated with slightly higher systolic blood pressure at rest and with smaller increases due to ergometer cycling. The latter was confirmed by a similar relation with saliva caffeine concentrations measured in a subsample (n = 200). These findings are discussed in terms of a transient stabilising effect of caffeine on blood pressure.