Caffeine Intoxication and Addiction

Caffeine and Chronic Medical Conditions

Caffeine consumption elicits a prolonged stress response in the body by competitively antagonizing adenosine receptors, inhibiting phosphodiesterase, and increasing circulating catecholamines and intracellular cAMP. There is a corresponding increase in blood pressure and heart rate, release of blood glucose by the liver, an increase in gastric acid secretion, a decrease in lower esophageal sphincter tone, and an increased colonic contractile activity. These clinical effects make caffeine intake of particular importance for NPs providing care for the patient with hypertension, diabetes mellitus, gastroesophageal reflux disease, or irritable bowel syndrome. Medical management and disease control may be more difficult to achieve.

Journal for Nurse Practitioners. 2010;6(1):49-52. © 2010