title: Effects of energy drinks on blood pressure, heart rate, and electrocardiographic parameters: An experimental study on healthy young adults.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the effects of the consumption of energy drinks on cardiovascular parameters in a group of healthy young individuals.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a quasi-experimental study, 44 healthy adult participants aged between 15 and 30 years were evaluated. The blood pressure (BP) as well as electrocardiographic indices, including heart rate (HR), PR interval, QRS duration, corrected QT (QTc) interval, and ST-T changes were recorded before consumption of a caffeine-containing energy drink and at the specific time points over a 4-h test duration.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found statistically significant HR decline (p=0.004) and more frequent ST-T changes (p=0.004) after the participants consumed the energy drink. However, readings for systolic BP (p=0.44), diastolic BP (p=0.26), PR interval (p=0.449), QRS duration (p=0.235), and QTc interval (p=0.953) showed no significant change post-consumption.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In conclusion, we demonstrated that the consumption of energy drinks could contribute to HR decline and ST-T change in healthy young adults.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Rasoul-e-Akram Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences; Tehran-Iran. fatemeh.touserkani@childrens.harvard.edu.
authors.forename: Shokoufeh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hajsadeghi
authors.forename: Fatemeh
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mohammadpour
authors.forename: Mohammad Javad
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Manteghi
authors.forename: Kiarash
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kordshakeri
authors.forename: Masoud
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tokazebani
authors.forename: Elham
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Rahmani
authors.forename: Morteza
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hassanzadeh
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001628:Beverages; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D002110:Caffeine / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000494:pharmacology; D004562:Electrocardiography / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran; D008297:Male; D012016:Reference Values; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D002110:Caffeine