No, not the giant oil company. This:
Blood pressure medication is very often taken in the morning because it is a way to remember, but this may miss the maximum risk-window of having a stroke or heart attack, says Professor Foster.
“Very significantly, there is a circadian driven rise in blood pressure as we approach morning, caused by the release of cortisol and adrenaline –- this increases heart rate, combined with an increase in clotting factors.
“These normally clump together to form blood clots following injury, but they also work against us by producing clots that block blood vessels,” he adds. “The combined effects of a sharp rise in blood pressure between 6am and noon, and peak blood ‘stickiness’ in the morning, corresponds to the greatest chance of having a stroke or heart attack.”
In fact, there’s a 50 per cent greater chance of a stroke between 6am and noon than the rest of the day.
“Some studies have shown that when blood pressure medication is taken before bedtime, rather than in the morning, it’s more effective at regulating blood pressure and reducing stroke and heart attack risk. This is because such drugs have a long ‘half-life’, remaining at high concentrations for many hours in the body before they are broken down. So, counterintuitively, taking an antihypertensive before bed can reduce your risk of a stroke in the morning.”
An analysis of eight clinical trials, published in the journal Scientific Reports this year, found that the morning blood pressure surge was significantly reduced in patients taking medication before bedtime.
I should point out that some other Smart People disagree with these findings, but that’s the nature of the beast, innit?
I started taking all my meds at bedtime about three years ago, on the advice of my own doctor. I don’t know if this helps — how could I? — but his explanation at the time seemed very plausible. (I don’t remember it, but it had something to do with night-time metabolism and the absorption of medications.) He also suggested that I take my multivitamin tablet — I take an Old Fart kind, like Centrum — in the morning, for reasons I also forget (sorry).
Anyway, there it is. Make your own decisions according to your instincts and experience, as always.
