When is the Best Time to Take Blood Pressure Medication?

One out of three American adults has high blood pressure, equating to roughly 75 million people. When you take into account health care services, medications and work absences, the cost of this disease is more than $46 billion annually, according to information from the Centers for Disease Control.

High blood pressure (hypertension) places you at a greater risk for heart attacks or strokes, and yet it is known as the “silent killer” because there are often no noticeable symptoms. In addition to diet and lifestyle changes, medication can help reduce your blood pressure and your risk of complications such as kidney damage, stroke and heart damage.

However, it’s very important that you speak to one of our general practitioners in Raleigh about what time you should take your blood pressure medications.

Is it better to take your blood pressure medicine in the morning or at night?

The answer to this question depends upon your doctor’s instructions. Previously, it was thought that blood pressure medication should always be taken at night. The logic behind this was that most heart attacks happen in the early morning, so the goal was to bring blood pressure down during the night, according to information from the Mayo Clinic.

However, more recent  studies didn’t reinforce this point. Why? Because for most people, blood pressure tends to be lower at night, anyway. In addition, taking diuretics, a type of blood pressure medication, at night could be inconvenient because it causes you to go to the bathroom.

There are two important things to remember when taking your blood pressure medicine:

1. Take it at the same time each day.
2. Take it at the time your doctors recommend, whether that’s in the morning or evening.

What are the most popular medications for high blood pressure?

There are several types of blood pressure medications, according to information from the American Heart Association. The most common include:

• Diuretics – These drugs help your body get rid of excess water and salt.
• Beta-blockers – These medications slow your heart rate.
• ACE inhibitors – These help your body produce less angiotensin. This chemical is partially responsible for narrowing arteries.
• Calcium channel blockers – These prevent calcium from entering the linings of the heart.
• Alpha blockers – These relax the muscles in the heart’s vascular walls.
• Central agonists – These reduce tension in blood vessels.
• Peripheral adrenergic inhibitors – These block neurotransmitters to reduce blood pressure.
• Vasodilators – These medications also allow the blood vessels to widen to enhance blood flow.

The “Silent Killer”

As mentioned earlier, high blood pressure is often called the silent killer because it often doesn’t present any symptoms. However, if you have any of the risk factors listed below, you should schedule an appointment with us to have your blood pressure checked:
You have diabetes.