Written by 2:03 am Prescription Drugs

What Time of Day is BEST for BLOOD PRESSURE Meds?

Yes…you there in the back…you have a question?”

WHAT TIME OF DAY SHOULD I TAKE MY BLOOD PRESSURE PILLS?

Great question!  I get this one a lot.

Here’s the scoop.  Most of us get a natural “dip” in our blood pressure overnight.  Maybe it is due to our more relaxed state while sleeping.  Maybe it is due to other physiologic mechanisms at work.  Whatever the case, “sleeping” itself tends to bring down elevated blood pressures.  Therefore, taking your blood pressure pills in the morning makes more sense.

However, there seem to be some patients who don’t get the dip.  For them, taking a blood pressure pill in the evening might be a good idea, and has been shown to decrease the risk of cardiovascular events.  Who would this be?  It is hard to say.  It tends to be true the OLDER we get, and for patients with diabetes or kidney disease.  But without actually hooking up to a blood pressure monitor overnight…it is hard to say for sure.

So – here is my advice.  If you take MORE THAN 1 blood pressure medication, consider taking at least 1 at bedtime.  Do not take a diuretic at bedtime (unless you want to get up to use the bathroom througout the night).  A good choice would be your Ace inhibitor (e.g. lisinopril) or Calcium Channel blocker (e.g. amlodipine) or Beta Blocker (e.g. atenolol).

But if you just take 1 medication for blood pressure, taking it in the morning (unless otherwise directed) is the best approach.

Hope that helps!

For more information on High Blood Pressure – Visit the American Heart Association Page

Last modified: April 17, 2023

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