The effect of Qat chewing on blood pressure and heart rate in healthy volunteers

The leaves of the Qat plant (Catha edulis Forsk., Celastraceae) which conta in amphetamine like compounds are widely chewed in Yemen and East Africa fo r their pleasurable stimulant properties. There are also a number of unwant ed side-effects and this paper studies the effect on heart rate and blood p ressure in 80 healthy volunteers. During a 3-h period of chewing fresh Qat leaves there was a significant and progressive rise in systolic and diastol ic blood pressure and heart rate, and levels had not returned to baseline 1 h after chewing had ceased. Further studies are needed on possible cardiov ascular morbidity associated with regular Qat chewing.