Bedtime May Be Best Time For Blood Pressure Meds
HealthDay Reporter
WEDNESDAY, Oct. 23, 2019 — Taking blood pressure medications at bedtime rather than in the morning nearly halves the risk of dying from a heart attack, stroke or heart failure, a large, new study finds.
Researchers in Spain followed more than 19,000 adults with high blood pressure. They found that people who took all their blood pressure meds at night had lower blood pressure around the clock compared to volunteers who took their medication in the morning.
“The findings are highly consistent regardless of sex, age, presence of diabetes or kidney disease, and other major known factors of increased risk,” said study lead author Ramon Hermida.
Hermida is director of bioengineering and chronobiology at the University of Vigo’s Atlantic Research Center for Information and Communication Technologies.
“Conventionally, most patients ingest their medication in the morning,” said Hermida, “although no single trial ever documented this to be preferable.” No guidelines are currently in place regarding the best time to take the drugs, he added.
A New York City heart doctor believes consistency in taking your blood pressure pills will deliver optimal protection.
“The key here is routines,” said Dr. Satjit Bhusri, a cardiologist at Lenox Hill Hospital. “Not missing a dose. We know one thing worse than an elevated blood pressure is swings in blood pressure due to periodic non-compliance.”
To achieve compliance, it’s important to stick to a routine, Bhusri said.
Take Your High Blood Pressure Drugs Exactly As Prescribed
High blood pressure drugs work best if you take them as your doctor has prescribed them. So you need to take the right amount at the right times every day. Ask your doctor or pharmacist these questions:
- How much of the medication should I take?
- How often should I take it?
- Are there special instructions, such as to take the drug with food?
- What should I do if I miss a dose?
What Allergy Medicine Can I Safely Take With High Blood Pressure
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How To Take Your Blood Pressure At Home
What you do beforehand can affect your blood pressure readings. Your blood pressure may be high due to:
- Stress.
- Caffeine.
- Certain medications like decongestants and anti-inflammatories.
You can manually check your blood pressure at home or use an automated blood pressure machine that calculates your reading for you.
An automated blood pressure machine may be ideal for most since it only requires one person to use it, provides accurate readings and is easy to use. You can find affordable blood pressure machines online and at most grocery stores or local pharmacies.
To take your blood pressure manually, youll need a blood pressure cuff with a squeezable balloon and a stethoscope.
Whatever method you use, before you take your blood pressure find a quiet place and sit still for about 5 minutes.
Make sure you havent exercised or had caffeine or any kind of stimulant for about half an hour prior to checking your blood pressure, says Dr. Distel.
Sit at a table with both of your feet on the ground, legs uncrossed. Sit in a chair with back support so that you can lean back and relax. Place your arms up on the table so theyre at chest height.
Check that you have the right size cuff, too. You dont want one too big or too small. Then, roll up the sleeve on your left arm or remove any tight-sleeved clothing, if needed.
How to take your blood pressure with a machine
Choosing A Home Blood Pressure Monitor
The American Heart Association recommends an automatic, cuff-style, bicep monitor.
- Wrist and finger monitors are not recommended because they yield less reliable readings.
- Choose a monitor that has been validated. If you are unsure, ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice or find options at validatebp.org.
- When selecting a blood pressure monitor for a senior, pregnant woman or child, make sure it is validated for these conditions.
- Make sure the cuff fits measure around your upper arm and choose a monitor that comes with the correct size cuff.
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What Affects A Blood Pressure Reading
Many things can affect a blood pressure reading, including:
- Nervousness about having your blood pressure taken. This is called white coat syndrome. As many as 1 in 3 people who have a high blood pressure reading at the doctors office may have normal blood pressure readings outside of it.1
- What you ate, drank, or did before your reading. If you smoked, drank alcohol or caffeine, or exercised within 30 minutes of having your blood pressure measured, your reading might be higher.2
- How you are sitting. Crossing your legs and letting your arm droop at your side rather than rest on a table at chest height can make your blood pressure go up.2
Its important to get an accurate blood pressure reading so that you have a clearer picture of your risk for heart disease and stroke.
A reading that says your blood pressure is lower than it actually is may give you a false sense of security about your health. A reading that says your blood pressure is higher than it actually is may lead to treatment you dont need.
Side Effects Of Low Blood Pressure
Low blood pressure may not be discussed as often as high blood pressure, but it should be addressed, as prolonged low blood pressure can negatively affect your organs.
A certain amount of blood pressure is needed to maintain blood flow to the organs, says Dr. Wong. The blood supplies oxygen and nutrients to these organs. If the blood pressure is too low, an adequate blood supply cannot get to these organs.
If left untreated, low blood pressure can increase your risk of fainting, heart attack and organ damage, adds Dr. Desai.
Read Also: What Causes Irregular Blood Pressure
How Blood Pressure Is Measured
It is best to measure blood pressure when you are relaxed and sitting. Blood pressure is usually measured by wrapping an inflatable pressure cuff around your upper arm.
Blood pressure is recorded as two numbers, such as 120/80. The larger number indicates the pressure in the arteries as the heart pumps out blood during each beat. This is called the systolic blood pressure.
The lower number indicates the pressure as the heart relaxes before the next beat. This is called the diastolic blood pressure. Both are measured in units called millimetres of mercury .
Normal Blood Pressure By Age Race And Gender
Previously, guidance for normal blood pressure for adults varied by gender and specific age, but new data states normal blood pressure for adults as a collective is less than 120/80 mmHgHigh Blood Pressure Symptoms and Causes. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Accessed 7/16/2021. .
When it comes to race and ethnicity, Dr. Desai says certain groups have a higher rate of hypertension. Non-Hispanic Black people have a significantly higher rate of hypertension compared to non-Hispanic white people, and Hispanics and non-Hispanic Asians have lower rates than the first two, he says.
The reason for this variance can range from substandard insurance coverage and poor access to healthcare to gaps in the use of medications to treat multiple conditions with reduced compliance in certain groups, he adds.
As for gender, theres increasing evidence for risk of cardiovascular disease in women with blood pressures lower than what is considered normal, says Jennifer Wong, M.D., medical director of non-invasive cardiology at MemorialCare Heart and Vascular Institute at Orange Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley, California.
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You Might Want To Change The Time Of Day You Take Your Blood Pressure Medicine
You may want to take your blood pressure medicine at bedtime rather than when you get up in the morning, according to a study published Tuesday in the European Heart Journal.
The research found that people who take their anti-hypertensive medicine before bed had better-controlled blood pressure and consequently had a much lower risk of death or illness from heart problems when compared to people who took their medication in the morning.
Compared to those who took their medicine in the morning, the people who took their medicine at night had nearly half the risk of dying from heart problems and nearly half the risk of having heart attack, stroke, heart failure, myocardial infarction or of needing a procedure to unblock their arteries.
When researchers looked at individual heart problems, those who took their pills at night saw their risk of death from heart or blood vessel problems reduced by 66%. The risk of stroke went down by 49%. The risk of myocardial infarction went down by 44%. Heart failure risk went down 42% and coronary revascularisation by 40%.
The authors argue that there is no significant study that shows that taking blood pressure medicine works best in the morning, although it is common practice for doctors to recommend taking it when you wake up.
Best Time To Take Blood Pressure
Taking blood pressure is important part of routine medical checkups because the high blood pressure can be an indication of the health problems of the future, like heart attack , stroke, kidney disease, dementia, etc. So, checking blood pressure is important, especially when you have been asked to do so by your physician. So, how to check your BP at home? And what’s the best time to take blood pressure? These questions and other queries related to blood pressure will be answered in this article.
Read Also: High Blood Pressure Symptoms Mayo Clinic
When And Where To Get Your Blood Pressure Tested
You should have a blood pressure test if you’re worried about your blood pressure at any time.
If you’re over 40, you can have this test done as part of an NHS Health Check, which is offered to adults in England aged 40 to 74 every 5 years.
If you have been diagnosed with high or low blood pressure, or you have a high risk of developing either, you may need more frequent checks of your blood pressure.
You can get your blood pressure tested at a number of places, including:
- your local GP surgery
- some workplaces
Learn About Your Medicines
- Most people with high blood pressure need at least two medicines to lower their blood pressure to a healthy level.
- Your doctor or nurse may need to change your medicines to find what works best for you. This is normal.
- If you don’t feel well after taking a medicine, call your doctor or nurse.
- Don’t stop taking your medicine until you talk with your doctor or nurse.
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Who Has The Cheapest Blood Pressure Medications
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Welcome To Our Home Monitoring Resource Hub
Here you can find resources for home monitoring, see our simple steps to get an accurate reading and make the most out of home monitoring.
Plus, read more about .
The first step to managing your blood pressure is to Know Your Numbers! Watch our video to see how to measure your blood pressure at home and use our tips and resources below to check your own blood pressure at home.
Understanding Your Blood Pressure Reading
Blood pressure is measured in millimetres of mercury and is given as 2 figures:
- systolic pressure the pressure when your heart pushes blood out
- diastolic pressure the pressure when your heart rests between beats
For example, if your blood pressure is “140 over 90”, or 140/90mmHg, it means you have a systolic pressure of 140mmHg and a diastolic pressure of 90mmHg.
As a general guide:
- high blood pressure is considered to be 140/90mmHg or higher or 150/90mmHg or higher if you’re over the age of 80
- ideal blood pressure is usually considered to be between 90/60mmHg and 120/80mmHg, while the target for over-80s is below 150/90mmHg
Blood pressure readings between 120/80mmHg and 140/90mmHg could mean you’re at risk of developing high blood pressure if you do not take steps to keep your blood pressure under control.
Page last reviewed: 23 October 2019 Next review due: 23 October 2022
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Blood Pressure Cuff Placement
Most blood pressure reading errors are the result of improper sizing of the blood pressure cuff or placing the cuff over clothing. Improper placement of the cuff over clothing can cause your blood pressure measurement to increase by 10 to 50 points. If the cuff is too small, it can add 2 to 10 points to your bp measurement. Be sure to roll up your sleeve for a blood pressure test and also let your doctor know if the cuff feels too tight around your arm.
Taking Your Blood Pressure
If you have a manual or digital blood pressure monitor, follow the instruction booklet carefully. The following steps provide an overview of how to take your blood pressure using either a manual or digital blood pressure monitor.
1. Locate your pulse
Locate your pulse by lightly pressing your index and middle fingers slightly to the inside center of the bend of the elbow. Here you can feel the pulse of the brachial artery. If you cannot locate a pulse, place the head of the stethoscope or the arm cuff in the same general area.
2. Secure the cuff
A. Thread the cuff end through the metal loop and slide the cuff onto your arm, making sure that the stethoscope head is over the artery. The lower edge of the cuff should be about 1 inch above the bend of your elbow. Use the Velcro wrap to make the cuff snug, but not too tight.
B. Place the stethoscope in your ears. Tilt the earpiece slightly forward to get the best sound.
3. Inflate and deflate the cuff
If you are using a manual monitor:
A. Hold the pressure gauge in your left hand and the bulb in your right.
B. Close the airflow valve on the bulb by turning the screw clockwise.
C. Inflate the cuff by squeezing the bulb with your right hand. You may hear your pulse in the stethoscope.
D. Watch the gauge. Keep inflating the cuff until the gauge reads about 30 points above your expected systolic pressure. At this point, you should not hear your pulse in the stethoscope.
G. Continue to slowly deflate the cuff.
Also Check: Mayo Clinic Blood Pressure