Doctor's Column: Does coffee cure high blood pressure?

Dear doctor, there is some nice coffee that is being sold in Kampala and is said to cure hypertension. Is it true or the usual Ugandan gimmick?
Stella Nabukwasi

Dear Stella, many people take coffee in bean (empokota) or roasted powder form because of its aroma and its instant stimulation of the body and the mind. Coffee increases mental alertness and helps one perform better physically and can act as an effective anti-depressant.

Students use lots of coffee to improve alertness, concentration and are able to stay awake when needed. The stimulant property of coffee has been attributed to xanthine derivatives, caffeine, theobromine and theophylline. Though a cup of coffee can be refreshing, one should not take it in excess amounts because the stimulants especially caffeine may be dangerous to one’s health.

This is especially true in people who already have conditions like hypertension. Coffee’s bad effects should not be attributed to caffeine alone because there are many other substances that if taken in excess can in combination with caffeine lead to bad health effects. Those who chew coffee berries seem not to be affected as much since they take in less of the bad substances.

Caffeine apart from increasing the strength and speed of the heartbeat, speed or flow of blood in arteries, also keeps one awake, factors that are theoretically likely to raise blood pressure.

Therefore, people with high blood pressure are advised to minimise the amount of coffee they take or resort to decaffeinated coffee.

Use of coffee to treat hypertension should be avoided since there are better standard blood pressure treatments that you can easily access from a medical worker.

Dear doctor, I’m almost nine months into my second pregnancy. I know what labour is because it starts with the back and stomach pains which intensify. For three days, I have this pain which comes and goes. I went to hospital and the doctor said I was falsely claiming pain. I was taken aback and swore never to go back there. Can a pregnant woman falsify labour?
Fatty

Dear Fatty, any person whether pregnant or not, may have abdominal pain which comes and goes (colicky pain). In a pregnant woman though, the pain may have other causes and may be mistaken for labour pain.

Right from early pregnancy, the womb may contract painlessly (Braxton Hicks contractions) from time to time without causing the mouth of the womb (cervix) to open.

These irregular contractions which may be felt by the hand atop the womb area may become a little painful later in the pregnancy albeit without opening up the cervix. This is incase the doctor has ruled out other causes of abdominal pain that comes and goes could have been the reason your doctor may have told you that you had false labour pains.

Therefore, rather than castigate your doctor, please go back to him since he knows your history which is helpful to properly look after you and your unborn baby all through to delivery.

It is true that labour in many cases may start with a regular backache and abdominal pain associated with a discharge of bloody mucous and opening up of the mouth of the womb (cervix) to finally let the baby out. The strong uterine contractions which starve the womb muscle of blood and oxygen and the stretching of tissues that hold the womb and the pressure from the foetus on surrounding tissues all contribute to the pain.

Three days in labour is too long not to be taken note of. It is a sign that there will be difficulty in delivery and therefore a requirement for surgical delivery.

Dear doctor, I am two-and-a quarter months pregnant. I did not want this pregnancy because I got it after taking a morning after pill. I went to a pharmacy two weeks ago and was given tablets to put in my private parts so that it comes out. It did not though I bled a little and the scan still reflects that I’m pregnant. What do I do?
Esther