Does coffee raise blood pressure?
Yes, coffee raises blood pressure temporarily. Caffeine can lift readings 5 to 10 points for a few hours, more in people who rarely drink it. Regular drinkers develop tolerance and see less effect.
Long-term studies do not show coffee causing chronic hypertension for most people, and two to three cups a day looks safe for the heart.
For fair home readings, avoid caffeine for the half hour before measuring. If your pressure runs high, the fixes with real leverage are salt, weight, alcohol, movement and sleep, not the morning cup.
Source: NHS, high blood pressure
See a doctor promptly if
- A reading of 180/120 mmHg or higher with chest pain, breathlessness, weakness on one side, slurred speech, confusion or sudden visual change. This is an emergency
- Blood pressure of 140/90 mmHg or higher in pregnancy, especially with headache, upper abdominal pain, visual disturbance or sudden swelling
- A repeated reading of 180/120 mmHg or higher even without symptoms. This needs same-day medical assessment
- New severe headache, nosebleeds that will not stop, or breathlessness lying flat alongside high readings
- Blood in the urine, or a sharp fall in how much urine you pass, together with high readings
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Answered by the AskDoc Medical Team · Medically reviewed under our Medical Director, MBBS · How we review
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