New Orleans Coroner, Dr. Dwight McKenna
points to a recent study that shows habitual
coffee drinking was not associated with a
heightened risk of cardiac arrhythmias in a study
of more than 300,000 people.

In fact, an adjusted analysis found that “each
additional cup of coffee intake was associated
with a 3% lower risk of incident arrhythmia.” Dr.
McKenna says if you give up coffee or caffeine to
reduce the risk of arrhythmias – is likely
unwarranted.

Experts say there is no evidence that drinking
coffee increases the risk for developing
arrhythmia. This is important for the many people
with benign palpitations who are devastated when
they think, or they are told, that they have to stop
drinking coffee. Dr. McKenna says, given the
evidence, this is entirely a patient-preference
decision, not a medical one.

There are some people in whom, caffeine is a
trigger for faster heartbeats, but these cases are
rare. So…avoiding caffeine need not apply to
everyone, especially given the potential health
benefits of coffee, and also, frankly, just the
enhanced quality of life that you can live.