In the largest ever study conducted of the kind, researchers have found that patients who took their blood pressure reducing medication in one go just before bedtime had nearly half the risk of dying from or suffering heart attacks, myocardial infarction, stroke, and heart failure compared to patients who took morning medications.
The study, published in the European Heart Journal, included 19,084 patients taking their pills either after waking up or during bedtime, and were followed for the longest length of time — an average of more than six years.
The researchers found that in participants taking their medication just before hitting the sack at night, the risk of death from heart or blood vessel problems was reduced by 66 per cent, the risk of myocardial infarction by 44 per cent, coronary revascularisation by 40 per cent, heart failure by 42 per cent, and stroke by nearly 50 per cent.
“The results of this study show that patients who routinely take their anti-hypertensive medication at bedtime, as opposed to when they wake up, have better-controlled blood pressure and, most importantly, a significantly decreased risk of death or illness from heart and blood vessel problems,” said co-author of the study Ramon C. Hermida.
Hermida added that the existing guidelines on hypertension treatment do not recommend any preferred treatment time, and morning ingestion is recommended based on the misleading goal of reducing morning blood pressure levels.(PTI)
