Drinking filtered coffee - even six or more cups per day - does not appear to increase the risk of coronary heart disease, according to a long-term study conducted by researchers at Harvard Medical School and the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston.

“The relation between coffee consumption and cardiovascular disease has been studied extensively, but findings have been inconsistent,” study investigator Dr. Rob M. van Dam from Harvard School of Public Health told Reuters Health.

He and his colleagues examined the relationship between long-term regular coffee drinking and the risk of coronary heart disease in 44,005 men and 84,488 women. None of the subjects had a history of cardiovascular disease or cancer at the beginning of the study. Levels of coffee consumption were assessed every 2 to 4 years starting in 1986 for men and 1980 for women.

The investigators found that coronary heart disease occurred in 2,173 men who were followed for 14 years and in 2,254 women who were followed for 20 years, according to their report, published in the current issue of Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association.

“After adjusting for many factors that could influence coronary heart disease risk, men and women who drank six or more cups of coffee daily had a similar risk of fatal and nonfatal heart disease as those who did not drink coffee,” van Dam told Reuters Health.

In addition, frequent consumption of caffeinated or decaffeinated coffee was not associated with higher blood cholesterol. “These findings indicate that consumption of filtered coffee generally does not increase risk of coronary heart disease,” van Dam said.

However, he point out that these conclusions “do not pertain to high consumption of unfiltered types of coffee, such as French Press or boiled coffee, that may increase the risk of heart disease because they contain cholesterol-raising substances.”

Despite these reassuring findings, “persons with specific medical conditions may want to consult with their physician about prudent levels of coffee consumption,” van Dam added.

SOURCE: Circulation, April 24, 2006.