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Updated: May 24, 2025
The treatment of an actual degeneration of the heart from overuse of alcohol is similar to the sane condition from other causes. Caffein can irritate the heart and cause irregularity and tachycardia, especially in certain persons.
It is a stimulant to the heart, the kidneys, and the central nervous system." "Individual susceptibility to the action of caffein varies greatly. Where one person notices little or no reaction after a cup of coffee, another is exhilarated to a marked degree and hours later may find himself lying sleepless with tense or trembling muscles, a dry, burning skin, and a mind feverishly active.
It acts as a diuretic, not only by increasing the circulatory force and blood pressure, but also by acting directly on the kidney. This action on the kidney contraindicates the use of caffein in any form, except in rare instances, when there is acute or chronic nephritis. The increased blood pressure caused by caffein also contraindicates its use when there is hypertension.
If it makes a nervous patient more nervous, or a quiet patient restless and irritable, it is acting for harm and should be stopped, just as caffein under the same conditions should be stopped. Strychnin may cause diminished secretion of the skin. This is not frequent, but it does occur. It may prevent the patient from sleeping.
Other liquids have been much discussed by dietitians, especially tea and coffee. "These beverages owe what limited food value they have to the cream and sugar usually mixed with them. They give pleasure by their aroma, but they are given a peculiar position among articles of diet by the presence in them of the compound caffein, which is distinctly a drug.
The fact that it raises the blood pressure, thus increasing the force against which the heart must act, and that it irritates the heart muscle to more sturdy or irregular contraction, indicates that a patient with a heart lesion or with a nervously irritable heart should never drink tea and coffee or take caffein in any beverage.
The effects of caffein and tobacco on the heart will be considered later when toxic disturbances are under discussion. The above-mentioned causes of pseudo-anginas have only to be named to indicate the treatment which will prevent the pain attacks.
Though the flavors of tea, coffee, and cocoa are so different, they all depend for their effect upon a spicy-tasting substance, called caffein from its having been first separated out of coffee. The caffein of tea is sometimes called thein, and that of cocoa theobromin; but they are all practically the same substance.
A diuretic administered when the kidneys are suffering passive congestion from cardiac insufficiency does not generally act, and is therefore useless. If digitalis is administered, it will act as a diuretic; if caffein is deemed advisable, that will act as a diuretic. Squills may be administered, if it seems best.
Caffein is indicated if digitalis is contraindicated or does not act satisfactorily, and the patient is not nervously excited, but perhaps is stupid or apathetic, and also when diuresis is desired. Strychnin: This is a valuable stimulator and heart tonic when properly used. It promotes muscular activity of the heart much as it promotes all muscular activities.
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