A new study has found that simply changing the time of day you take your blood pressure medicine could have a big impact on your heart health.
Instead of taking the medication in the morning, people may get much better results by taking it at bedtime.
This discovery comes from a long-term study led by the University of Vigo in Spain. The researchers followed more than 19,000 people who had high blood pressure. Half of the group took their medicine in the morning, while the other half took it at night.
These patients were followed for about six years. Every year, they had their blood pressure checked using a special system that measured their levels over a 48-hour period. This allowed the scientists to see how well the medicine worked over time and how it affected each person’s risk of heart problems.
The results were very clear. People who took their medication at bedtime had better-controlled blood pressure and a much lower risk of serious heart problems.
Compared to those who took their pills in the morning, nighttime users were 45% less likely to experience or die from a heart attack, stroke, heart failure, or need a procedure to unblock clogged arteries.
The detailed results were even more impressive. Taking blood pressure medicine at night was linked to:
– A 66% lower risk of dying from heart disease
– A 44% lower risk of having a heart attack
– A 40% lower risk of needing artery-unblocking procedures
– A 42% lower risk of heart failure
– A 49% lower risk of having a stroke
These findings challenge the usual approach to managing high blood pressure. Most doctors recommend taking medication in the morning to help control blood pressure during the day, when people are awake and active. But this study suggests that nighttime blood pressure levels may be even more important.
The researchers are part of a group called the Hygia Project. They found that blood pressure during sleep is actually a better indicator of heart disease risk than blood pressure during the day. This means that reducing blood pressure at night may be one of the most effective ways to prevent heart attacks and strokes.
Most current medical guidelines do not say whether it’s better to take blood pressure pills in the morning or at night. That’s partly because, until now, there hasn’t been strong evidence showing one time is better than the other. This study, which was published in the European Heart Journal, is the largest and longest of its kind to look at this question.
The message is simple and powerful: if you have high blood pressure, talk to your doctor about taking your medication at night instead of in the morning. It’s a small change that could lead to a big improvement in your heart health—and might even save your life.
If you care about blood pressure, please read studies about why checking blood pressure while lying down is very important and lowering top blood pressure number to less than 120 mm Hg effectively prevents heart disease.
For more about blood pressure, please read studies that turmeric and vitamin D may boost blood pressure control in type 2 diabetes and scientists find link between blood pressure drugs and bowel diseases.
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