Doctors Don’t Tell You About Timing
Strokes and heart attacks tend to occur early in the morning. Blood pressure tends to be high then, too. So it would make sense to take your medication in the morning when it would do the most good. But many doctors don’t talk about the best time to take blood-pressure medication.
Even when they do, “medicines don’t affect everybody the same,” says Dr. Sheps. The rate at which your body absorbs medications may be different from your neighbor’s. “And some mediations need to be given on an empty stomach;’ he says.
But you can double-check the timing yourself, with a home monitor. “Take one reading in the morning after you get up and get ready for the day-but before breakfast;’ says Dr. Sheps. “Sit down for five minutes-read the paper or watch the news-and take your blood pressure seated. Take it again at the end of the day. Use the same sequence ofletting your body settle down for five minutes. This tells you when your peaks and valleys are-in the morning or evening. Then your physician can adjust the timing of your medication.