High blood pressure, or hypertension, is one of the most common health problems around the world. It happens when the pressure of your blood against your arteries stays high for too long.
If not treated properly, it can lead to serious problems like heart attacks, strokes, and even death. Most people know they need to take medicine to control their blood pressure, but few know that the time of day they take the medicine might actually matter—a lot.
A new study from the University of Vigo in Spain shows that simply taking your blood pressure medication at night, instead of in the morning, can greatly reduce your risk of heart-related problems. This study is one of the largest ever done on this topic, and it followed more than 19,000 people with high blood pressure over six years.
Participants in the study were split into two groups. One group took their medication when they woke up in the morning, and the other group took theirs at bedtime. Every year, these participants had their blood pressure checked over a 48-hour period to track any changes.
The results were very clear. People who took their pills at night were much less likely to suffer from major heart problems.
Compared to those who took the pills in the morning, the bedtime group had a 66% lower risk of dying from heart-related issues, 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 chance of needing surgery to open blocked arteries.
Why is bedtime better? The researchers believe that taking medicine before sleep helps it work more effectively during the night. Nighttime is a critical period for the heart.
Many people suffer heart attacks or strokes in the early morning hours, often due to changes in blood pressure that happen while sleeping. If the medicine is taken before bed, it may help keep blood pressure more stable during these important hours.
This idea goes against what many doctors have traditionally recommended. Usually, people are told to take their medicine in the morning so it can work during the day when they are active. But this study shows that focusing on nighttime blood pressure might be even more important than controlling it during the day.
Another key finding from the research is that blood pressure readings taken during sleep are a better way to predict future heart problems than readings taken during the day or in a doctor’s office. This was also shown in earlier results from the same research team, who named their work the “Hygia Project.”
At the moment, most guidelines for treating high blood pressure don’t say anything about what time to take medication. But this study, led by Professor Ramón C. Hermida and published in the European Heart Journal, could change that. It suggests that such a small change—just switching from morning to bedtime pills—could help save lives and prevent suffering.
If you are someone who takes medication for high blood pressure, this is something you might want to talk about with your doctor. Never change your medication schedule without professional advice, but it may be worth asking whether taking your pills at night could be a better option for your heart.
If you care about blood pressure, please read studies about common blood pressure medication that may extend your healthy life span and common high blood pressure drug linked to sudden cardiac arrest.
If you care about blood pressure, please read studies that timing matters when taking high blood pressure pills and 1 in 5 people with high blood pressure taking a drug worsen the disease.
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