Scientists reveal best time to take high blood pressure tablets

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Researchers said they have found “conclusive evidence” that taking medicine for blood pressure (BP) in the evening is no better than taking it in the morning to protect against heart attack, stroke, heart failure or death – meaning it’s best to take them at a time that suits you.

The findings, presented at the European Society of Cardiology Congress 2024, are based on data from five trials involving nearly 47,000 patients.

Professor Ricky Turgeon from the University of British Columbia in Canada, said: “Patients should take their once-daily BP-lowering medications at whatever time best suits their preferences and circumstances.”

About one in three adults in the UK has high blood pressure, also known as hypertension.

It is the third biggest risk factor for all disease in the UK after smoking and poor diet.

Although a high blood pressure does not cause symptoms, taking medicines can help prevent complications like heart disease, stroke, and kidney problems.

They work in different ways to reduce blood pressure by targeting various parts of the cardiovascular system.

But questions remain around the timing of blood pressure medication, with some experts saying people should take their medicine in the evening because night-time blood pressure is a better predictor of heart disease outcomes than daytime blood pressure.

Professor Turgeon said that previous studies looking at the impact of BP medications at night have shown mixed results.

To find out more, the team analysed the data from five trials, comparing night-time and morning administration of all BP-lowering medications.

Prof Turgeon said the team “concluded that the timing of dosing does not affect outcomes”.

The timing of BP medication had no impact on secondary events including fractures, glaucoma and events related to thinking and memory, the researchers said.

Professor Bryan Williams, chief scientific and medical officer at the British Heart Foundation, who was not involved in the research, said: “Around half of heart attacks and strokes in the UK are associated with high blood pressure.

“We know that effective treatment with blood pressure lowering medication is vital to reduce people’s risk.

“These results reinforce a key message that patients should take their blood pressure tablets at a time when they are most likely to remember.

“The specific timing doesn’t matter, whether it is in the morning or the evening, what matters is that they take the medication every day.

“By bringing together large amounts of data from tens of thousands of trial participants, these important results should now put the question of when is best to take blood pressure medication to bed.”