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Remember, No Coffee After Heart Surgery!

Written By: Adam Pick, Patient Advocate, Author & Website Founder
Page Last Updated: July 8, 2025

For all the Starbucks fans out there needing heart valve surgery, I have some difficult news to share with you.

Brace yourself... Here it is... Coffee is not recommended right after any form of cardiac surgery, including heart valve surgery.

Yes, I know. That's a tough one. I can personally relate to what you might be going through right now. I remember thinking, "WHAT? NO COFFEE!", as I was discharged from USC Medical Center after my aortic valve surgery. (Actually, it wasn't that dramatic.)

Like so many of you, I typically start everyday with some form of hot caffeine drink - coffee or chai tea. (Did you know 90% of adults in North America drink at least one caffeine-enhanced drink every day? And, did you know that caffeine was discovered by a German chemist in 1819?)

Generally, doctors recommend avoiding or limiting caffeine, including coffee, after heart surgery, particularly in the initial stages of recovery. This is because caffeine can increase heart rate and blood pressure, which can be detrimental to someone recovering from surgery.

In the initial stages of recovery (often 4-6 weeks after surgery), it's generally advised to avoid or limit caffeine. However, some doctors may allow a small amount of coffee after a few weeks, especially if the patient is tolerating it well. Fyi, even decaf coffee can have some caffeine and may still be a concern for some individuals, according to Kaiser Permanente.

Don't worry though... It's not permanent. My cardiologist gave me the green-light to start drinking coffee a few weeks after my aortic valve replacement.

Written by Adam Pick - Patient & Website Founder

Adam Pick is a heart valve patient and author of The Patient's Guide To Heart Valve Surgery. In 2006, Adam founded HeartValveSurgery.com to educate and empower patients. This award-winning website has helped over 10 million people fight heart valve disease. Adam has been featured by the American Heart Association and Medical News Today.

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