When should blood pressure medications be taken?

[question everything]

I have read on several occasions - AARP publications - that they should be taken at bedtime, when they can be most effective while asleep.

My bottle, though, says morning.

Any opinions?

Thanks

[Tetrachloride]

1. go ahead to call the pharmacist.

a friend of mine is somewhat rare case where his daily intake of medicine will definitely interfere with sleep and the waking process.

call and then we know

[hlthe2b]

2. The heart rate goes down automatically at night when you sleep, so

it has long been recommended to take them in the morning which helps control blood pressure during the day when it is far more variable.

THAT SAID, there is a well-regarded study in the European Heart Journal that shows considerable benefits and decreased risk of a number of cardiac and BP-related adverse outcomes among those taking it at night. Not all US cardiologists agree, however.
So, you can print this study and discuss with your physician if you wish. It may well come down to your individual health, what other medications you are on and your overall risks:
https://academic.oup.com/eurheartj/article/41/48/4565/5602478?login=false

[question everything]

6. Thank you I will

When I first read it it made sense to me. On the other hand, two years ago when my spouse underwent open heart surgery for a vlave and aortic root repair and was taking a gazillion of medications, a pharmacist who went over everything said that it did not make a difference..


Urrgg..

There is a correction

The editors would like to inform the readers of the article ‘Bedtime Hypertension Treatment Improves Cardiovascular Risk Reduction: Hygia Chronotherapy Trial’ by Ramon C. Hermida et al. Eur Heart J 2020; online that the content and conduct of this randomized clinical trial is currently under investigation. They therefore recommend to interpret the major results and conclusions with caution until further notice.

https://academic.oup.com/eurheartj/article/41/16/1600/5823540

[hlthe2b]

8. Yes. As I said, it is controversial (since published) among US cardiologists whose

questions have led to this correction. As an epidemiologist myself, that is not all that rare in studies that seem to overturn long-held assumptions. It may not signal anything malign but rather an overstatement or overinterpretation of their results. My guess at this point is that it will end up being a "wash" in terms of night-time v morning dosing and any long-term differing benefits. But again, it may depend on other health conditions and medications you are on. Many meds and pills can trigger acid reflux--which obviously wouldn't be optimal to getting sleep, as one example.

[SheltieLover]

3. Bedtime

There is a large study out there online reflecting bedgime mrds significantly reduces fisk of strokes & heart attacks!

I just switched from hbp meds to L-Arginine Plus & haven't felt this terrific in decades!

Helps wigt cholesterol, blood sugar, protects kidneys, lowers hbp, & restful sleep.

[jrthin]

7. What is L-Arginine Plus. I just purchase L-Arginine 1000mg

and am now taking 1 daily.

[SheltieLover]

9. Has other ingredients. Here are websites

https://l-arginine.com/?&utm_source=Google&utm_term=l-arginine%20plus&utm_content=m&gclid=Cj0KCQiAn4SeBhCwARIsANeF9DIxlHwfRLRTWK3ZxSKkVqvnoo7cD-DG3jrW7jQ2hNEds0CAbKxv_6YaAsm1EALw_wcB

Discounted at Amazon (where I get mine):

https://www.amazon.com/L-arginine-Plus%C2%AE-Supplement-L-citrulline-Cholesterol/dp/B0042L2I6W/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?adgrpid=79963118280&gclid=Cj0KCQiAn4SeBhCwARIsANeF9DLe9-3cLfe9bZEQpkm0_dxhEdVjI9qx762cVe-PwKOc3HtRufnm6LwaAn2OEALw_wcB&hvadid=379250477758&hvdev=m&hvlocphy=9013469&hvnetw=g&hvqmt=e&hvrand=8162514969166690835&hvtargid=kwd-390179923358&hydadcr=6749_9323798&keywords=l+-+arginine+plus&qid=1673644006&sr=8-3

A health practitioner had me taking this some years ago & I just remembered it, reordered, & am on the way go much better health!

Thinking is much clearer, sleep is very restful.

Decent amount of info online about the ingredients & their benefits.

Be well!

[jrthin]

15. Thank you!

[SheltieLover]

16. Yw!

[SheltieLover]

17. I have seen med articles cautioning not to take with bp meds though as bp can drop too low

So pls be careful.

I'm monitoring mine closely & after 2 nights of dosingwith the L-Arginine Plus, my np is normal.

[jrthin]

24. Again, TY.

[womanofthehills]

23. l'arginine dilates the blood vessels because it makes nitric acid

For blood pressure I take 3000mg l'arginine twice a day plus magnesium citrate, potassium citrate, olive leaf extract, grape seed extract, NAC and nattokinase. Beets also have nitric acid and help lower blood pressure.

Louis Ignrarro won the nobel prize for his work with nitric acid and wrote a book on it -he recommends the larger amounts like 3000mg morning and night.

[Jeebo]

4. What is a blook pressure medication?

Never heard of it.

-- Ron

[bullimiami]

5. I guess you were the other kid in the principals office?

[Jeebo]

19. No, I'm a retired copy editor.

I retired at the end of 2014 after 45 years with the same newspaper. I have the sensibilities of a copy editor. Typos are like fingernails screeching across chalkboard to me. Grammar errors, too. Speaking of which: "principals" in your response should have an apostrophe, because it is possessive.

-- Ron

[question everything]

10. Thanks. Corrected. My fingers have a mind of their own

[iscooterliberally]

11. I'm on two different pills.

I take one in the morning and the other at night. I was just at my doc's office and she said whatever works best for you. She did mention that recent studies said it's better to take them at night. I've been doing it my way for years now so I'm just stick with one in the morning and the other at night.

[NBachers]

12. I started taking mine at night, based on the study. I asked my med team about it, and they

kind of pooh-poohed the nighttime study. But, they didn’t have any opinion on when is the best time to do it. They didn’t think it mattered one way or another. So, since I am in the habit of doing it at night, I am continuing to do that.

[Warpy]

14. Blood pressure starts to rise after midnight

and is generally highest in the morning. While it won't kill you to take it in the morning if you are an early riser keeping farmer's hours, it's usually a little more effective when taken at bedtime.

[multigraincracker]

18. Make sure you check your BP

at least twice a day.
They had me on a high dose and one morning my BP was 60/42. Found another cardiologist that cut mine two thirds and I’m doing much better.
Just started back jogging this week.

[Jeebo]

20. In February I passed out on a plane.

It was a flight from St. Louis to Charlotte. The nurse who checked my blood pressure on the plane said it was 42 over 30. When she told me that, I said, "Holy shit! How am I still alive?" The next day in Orlando my niece, who is a doctor, said, "If you were dead, it would be zero over zero."

Long story short, it was because I had taken a lisinopril with a light meal at the St. Louis airport. That was my first meal of that day; I always take that first round of pills with the first meal of the day. The lisinopril pill bottles have a warning on the label that says, MAY CAUSE DIZZINESS. The reason one of those pills might cause dizziness, of course, is because they bring your blood pressure down. If your blood pressure is already okay, a lisinopril might bring it down to a dangerous level. That's why my blood pressure was so low on that plane, and why I passed out.

That's when I started taking my lisinopril pills with my evening round of pills. If it brings my blood pressure too far down then, it won't matter, because I'll be going to bed and sleeping not long after that anyway.

So my answer to your question is, it might be better to take your blood pressure medication in the evening. Check your blood pressure just before taking the pill, too. I am not a health care professional and am not dispensing medical advice. I am merely reporting my experience to you and how I have responded to that experience.

-- Ron

[Warpy]

21. The precise medical term for blood pressure that low is "crap over crap"

You're not perfusing your body well enough with such a low blood pressure, so even at night it's not a great idea. Nobody wants to check their blood pressure during the somnolent shuffle to the toilet at 2 AM, but it might be necessary in your case,making sure your pressure isn't cratering at night. If it is, a dosage reduction might be in order.

[eppur_se_muova]

22. Lisinopril makes me drowsy, so my Dr. said to take it just before bed.

Same w/Lotrel.

[RobinA]

25. Lisinopril

made me have coughing attacks one year after I started taking it. It was embarassing. I'd be at the ballet coughing and gagging up a lung. It was awful, but went away when I switched.