Abstract
Caffeine has been shown to increase mean blood pressure, but studies documenting the effect of caffeine on digits are lacking. We evaluated the effect of caffeine on digital blood pressure and pulse volume in normal volunteers.
In the first part of the study, 24 subjects were given water containing either 200 mg of caffeine or placebo. Bilateral brachial and middle finger digital pressures were measured at room temperature before ingestion and at 30 and 60 minutes after ingestion. In the second part of the study, pulse volume recordings (PVRs) were obtained in 24 subjects at the level of the distal phalanx of the middle finger of one hand immediately prior to beverage ingestion and at 10 minute intervals for 90 minutes. Differences in mean digital systolic pressure, digital/brachial index, or PVR amplitude between the control and caffeine groups were not statistically significant. The administration of caffeine was found not to alter the haemodynamics of digital blood flow or digital pressure in this population.
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