Caffeine Side Effects

You may already know some caffeine side effects if you've ever tried to quit your favorite caffeinated beverage of choice. Whether it's in your morning cup of joe, your high tea at noon, or your favorite pop, soda or fizzy carbonated drink...

...this is how most of us use or get our dose of caffeine. However, in the healthcare setting, caffeine, either alone or in combination with other medications, is also used for the following:

• pain relief
• short-term treatment of apnea in premature babies
• tension headaches
• migraine headaches

Now lest you panic about caffeine side effects below, please note that the side effects discussed below are those that occur when using medicinal doses of caffeine.

They don't usually occur from drinking a cup of coffee, tea or other regular caffeinated drinks.

If you've ever tried to quit using your caffeinated beverage of choice, some of the unpleasant effects you experience are the symptoms of withdrawal of caffeine. Ready to find out what side effects you can expect form caffeine? Read on!

Common Caffeine Side Effects

• Abnormal healing
• Accidental injury
• Acidosis - an abnormally high level of acid in the blood
• Cerebral hemorrhage bleeding in the brain
• Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation (DIC) - an abnormal activation of the body's blood clotting mechanism
• Dry skin
• Dyspnea - painful breathing
• Feeding intolerance
• Gastritis - inflammation of the stomach lining
• Gastrointestinal hemorrhage - bleeding in the stomach
• Hemorrhage -
• Kidney failure
• Lung edema - fluid retention in the lungs
• Necrotizing enterocolitis - tissue death of the intestines in premature babies due to poor blood flow
• Rash
• Retinopathy of prematurity - an eye disorder unique to premature babies
• Sepsis - blood infection
• Skin breakdown

Other Caffeine Side Effects

• Hyperglycemia - high blood sugar level
• Hypoglycemia - low blood sugar level
• Increased creatinine clearance - this is a kidney function problem
• Increased left ventricular output - this is a heart function problem
• Increased sodium and calcium excretion - this is a kidney function problem
• Increased stroke volume - this is a heart function problem
• Increased urine flow rate - this is a kidney function problem
• Irritability
• Jitteriness
• Restlessness
• Tachycardia - fast heart rate

The history of medicine is a story of
amazing foolishness and amazing intelligence.
- Jerome Tarshis

Drug Manufacturer Information

Various generic manufacturers

This website is updated quite frequently (as things change so rapidly in the world of pharmaceuticals), so if you find the information here useful please subscribe to our monthly newsletter - The Armchair Pharmacist. It tells you each month about new information that has been added to the site as well additional news on the latest goings-on in the world of medications and all things pharma.

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February 11th, 2010