The authors investigated the association of caffeinated coffee, decaffeinated coffee, and tea with myocardial infarction in a study of 340 cases and age-, sex-, and community-matched controls. The odds ratio for drinking > or = 4 cups/day of caffeinated coffee versus drinking < or = 1 cup/week was 0.84 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.49-1.42) after adjustment for coronary risk factors (1 cup = 237 ml). The odds ratio for drinking > 1 cup/day of decaffeinated coffee versus nondrinkers was 1.25 (95% CI 0.76-2.04). For tea, the odds ratio for drinking > or = 1 cup/day versus nondrinkers was 0.56 (95% CI 0.35-0.90). In these data, only tea was associated with a lower risk of myocardial infarction.