A Study of Caffeine on Cardiac Arrhythmias

Summary

Stimulants and drugs are often associated with cardiac effects. Caffeine, a therapeutic xanthine, has been described as a sympathomimetic and has shown to have stimulatory effects on the heart. Patients with symptomatic cardiac arrhythmias are generally informed by their physician to stop or significantly reduce caffeine intake. However, in spite of numerous reports that have reviewed the cardiac effects of caffeine, it remains unclear to what extent this stimulant may be detrimental, and what subgroups of patients may be most vulnerable. The investigators propose to evaluate the effects of caffeine in patients with previously diagnosed cardiac arrhythmias. The results of our report will provide important new information for physicians and patients regarding the effects of caffeine on symptomatic cardiac arrhythmias.

Timeline

Start

2010-02

Primary completion

2012-08

Completion

2015-08

Publications

• Lemery R, Pecarskie A, Bernick J, Williams K, Wells GA. A prospective placebo controlled randomized study of caffeine in patients with supraventricular tachycardia undergoing electrophysiologic testing. J Cardiovasc Electrophysiol. 2015 Jan;26(1):1-6. doi: 10.1111/jce.12504. Epub 2014 Sep 3.

Drugs

Indications