The Effects of Caffeine Intake on Cardiovascular Parameters in Sleep Deprived Medical Residents

Abstract

Physicians and medical residents are particularly affected by sleep deprivation are, especially in East European countries. The aim of our study is to analyze the effect of caffeine intake on cardiovascular functions in sleep deprived residents (clinicians in-training) after continuous 24h on-call duty. 26 medical residents aged between 22-33 years old, 12 men and 14 women, who began their activity at 2 pm were included. Each subject consumed coffee or caffeinated drinks such as Coca cola during this period, after 2 am, expressed in caffeine units. We have evaluated their cardiovascular function using impedance cardiography (ICG-M501) and blood pressure measurement using the manometric method, before (at 7 pm) and after caffeine consumption (at 7 am), during one night of on-call duty. Surprisingly, after caffeine consumption, all subjects have had a decrease of the heart rate after one night of sleep deprivation (from mean: 83 b/min before to 69.73 b/min after, p = 0.000), also the mean arterial blood pressure is lower after the overnight call (from mean: 95.3 mmHg before to 88.9 mmHg after). Moreover, cardiac output, stroke volume and cardiac index decreases along with an increase of peripheral vascular resistance. Caffeine intake exerts a paradoxical effect on sleep deprived subjects; acute sleep loss, due to continuously, intense on-call work, modifies several cardiovascular parameters, such as heart rate, blood pressures, stroke volume and cardiac output.