A groundbreaking study by the University of Vigo and other institutions has revealed a simple yet effective strategy for people with high blood pressure.
Taking all blood pressure medication at bedtime, instead of in the morning, not only leads to better-controlled blood pressure but also significantly lowers the risk of heart-related diseases and death.
This study stands out for its scale and duration. It involved 19,084 patients who were asked to take their blood pressure pills either upon waking or at bedtime.
The researchers then monitored these patients for over six years on average, checking their ambulatory blood pressure for 48 hours at least once a year. This long-term approach provided a comprehensive view of the impact of medication timing on heart health.
The results were quite striking. Patients who took their medication at bedtime had a 45% lower risk of experiencing or dying from heart attacks, strokes, heart failure, or needing a procedure to open blocked arteries.
This is in comparison to those who took their medication in the morning.
Moreover, the study found remarkable reductions in specific risks: a 66% lower risk of death from heart or blood vessel problems, 44% reduction in the risk of heart attacks, 40% lower risk of needing coronary revascularisation (a procedure to unblock arteries), 42% reduction in heart failure cases, and a 49% decrease in the likelihood of strokes.
These findings challenge current medical guidelines on hypertension treatment, which typically don’t specify or recommend an optimal time for taking medication.
The prevailing practice has been morning intake, aimed at reducing morning blood pressure levels. However, this study suggests that such a focus might be misplaced.
The Hygia Project, as part of this research, highlighted that the average systolic blood pressure during sleep is a more critical and independent predictor of cardiovascular disease risk than blood pressure readings taken while awake or at the doctor’s office.
Furthermore, no existing studies show that treating hypertension in the morning is more effective in reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease.
This study, led by Ramón C. Hermida and published in the European Heart Journal, opens up a new and accessible avenue for improving the health outcomes of individuals with high blood pressure.
By simply adjusting the timing of medication to bedtime, patients can significantly reduce their risk of serious heart-related events and mortality.
If you care about high blood pressure, please read studies that early time-restricted eating could help improve blood pressure, and natural coconut sugar could help reduce blood pressure and artery stiffness.
For more information about blood pressure, please see recent studies about added sugar in your diet linked to higher blood pressure, and results showing vitamin D could improve blood pressure in people with diabetes.
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