A new study from the University of Vigo has found a simple but powerful way to help people with high blood pressure lower their risk of heart problems.
The study shows that taking blood pressure medicine at bedtime instead of in the morning can greatly reduce the chances of serious heart issues and even death.
High blood pressure, or hypertension, happens when the force of blood against the walls of your arteries stays too high for too long. If not managed properly, it can lead to heart attacks, strokes, and other dangerous health problems.
Doctors have always focused on keeping blood pressure under control, but not much attention has been paid to the best time of day to take medication.
This large and long-term study included more than 19,000 people with high blood pressure. These participants were split into two groups. One group took their medicine in the morning, just after waking up.
The other group took their medicine at night, before going to bed. Researchers followed these patients for over six years and checked their blood pressure each year with special monitors that recorded data for 48 hours.
The results were surprising. People who took their blood pressure pills at night were much less likely to develop serious heart problems. They had a 66% lower risk of dying from heart or blood vessel diseases.
They also had a 44% lower risk of having a heart attack, a 49% lower risk of having a stroke, a 42% lower risk of heart failure, and a 40% lower risk of needing surgery to unblock arteries.
Why does timing matter so much? Experts believe that taking medicine at night helps control blood pressure better while you sleep. Sleep is a critical time for the heart to rest and recover.
If blood pressure stays too high at night, the heart doesn’t get the break it needs. By taking medicine before bed, the body gets better protection during these important hours.
Earlier research from the same team had already shown that nighttime blood pressure is a stronger sign of heart risk than the numbers you get during the day or at a doctor’s visit.
Still, most doctors today tell patients to take their medicine in the morning, thinking it helps with daily activities. This new study challenges that idea and suggests that we should pay more attention to what happens during sleep.
Right now, official guidelines on how to treat high blood pressure don’t say when the best time is to take medicine. But the scientists behind this study hope that their work will help change that. They believe more doctors should start talking to their patients about taking their pills at night.
The study was led by Ramón C. Hermida and published in the European Heart Journal. It shows that a small change in routine—simply taking your medicine before bed—could make a big difference in your heart health.
If you have high blood pressure, it may be worth asking your doctor if bedtime medication is right for you. This easy change could help protect your heart and even save your life.
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