The role of epinephrine in the circulatory effects of coffee

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Abstract
The circulatory response to coffee was studied in 10 normotensive, 10 bilaterally adrenalectomized, and 10 hypertensive subjects. In the normotensive group, drinking coffee exerted a rise in blood pressure (+5.1/+11.5 mm Hg), a fall in heart rate (-6.0 bpm), a rise in plasma epinephrine (+257.2%), and no change in plasma norepinephrine. The response to coffee in the hypertensive group was similar or even enhanced. In the patients who had undergone adrenalectomy, the coffee-induced rise of diastolic blood pressure was attenuated (+7.9 mm Hg; P < 0.05), whereas plasma norepinephrine showed a fall (-20.8%) and plasma epinephrine remained undetectable throughout all tests. Additionally, a fall of plasma renin activity after coffee was observed in all three groups. We conclude that the pressor response to coffee is not purely a result of circulating epinephrine or to stimulation of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system. On the other hand, the coffee-induced increase of plasma epinephrine may increase the pressor response to coffee.

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