['We asked whether caffeinated coffee (CC) blunts the infarct size (IS)-limiting effects of atorvastatin (ATV).', 'Adenosine receptor activation is essential for mediating the IS-limiting effects of statins. Caffeine is a nonspecific adenosine receptor blocker, and thus drinking CC may block the myocardial protective effects of statins.', 'Rat received 3-day ATV (10 mg/kg/day) or water by oral gavage once daily. Drinking water was replaced by water + sugar (7.5 g/100 ml), CC with sugar, or decaffeinated coffee (DC) with sugar. On the 4th day, rats were anesthetized and underwent 30 min of coronary artery occlusion and 4 h reperfusion. Area at risk was assessed by blue dye and infarct size by TTC.', 'Body weight and area at risk was comparable among groups. IS was 25.1 +/- 3.9% of the area at risk in the control group. In rats not receiving ATV, CC (25.5 +/- 3.1%) and DC (34.0 +/- 2.8%) did not affect IS. IS was significantly reduced by ATV in the water + sugar (11.7 +/- 0.7%, p = 0.015) and DC (11.5 +/- 1.0%; p < 0.001) groups, but not in the CC group (32.3 +/- 3.0%; p = 0.719). ATV increased myocardial levels of Ser-473 phosphorylated Akt in the water + sugar and DC groups, but not in the CC group.'] Does caffeinated coffee blunt the myocardial protective effects of statins against ischemia-reperfusion injury in the rat?