Taking BP meds at night

I have tried taking mine night/morning/half at night/half in the morning without any great overall difference in the daily average.

Although if I don't take my med in the morning my BP still drops from its first morning high reading after a couple of hours to a reasonable level but then rises late in the evening  

Brief extract from today's Daily Mail:

It’s already illegal to drive if your reactions are impaired by medication — the new law is designed to bring drug driving into line with drink driving, with clear limits on prescription medications. 

Experts warn that many motorists are not aware that seemingly innocent over-the-counter drugs such as hay fever remedies can also have an effect on driving and get you into trouble with the law. 

‘Many forms of medication make it clear on the label that when taken they can impair your ability to drive,’ says solicitor Paul Reddy, of firm Slater & Gordon. 

‘Just because they are legal and widely available, if taking them affects your driving you could end up with points, a fine, disqualification from driving or even worse if you have an accident.’

Here, we examine the common medicines — over-the-counter and prescription — which could have an influence on you behind the wheel . . .

Drugs such as the ACE inhibitor ramipril can make you feel dizzy. As blood pressure drops, the brain may receive less blood, causing light-headedness.

‘If it happens, it’s likely to be within a couple of hours of taking the drug, so avoid driving then,’ says Dr Nigel Durham, a consultant cardiologist at York Hospital. 

Take these drugs at night to be extra careful, and if the problem persists, see your GP.

 

I has been suggested to me several times including recently by the consultant at the Hypertension Clinic. When I was taking two meds a day it was suggested to take one at night and the other in the morning.  

Initially it was my idea but when I was taking two BP meds doctors suggested taking one at night and the other in the morning.

I have switched back and forward as I have not been convinced of the overall benefit the time of day they are taken.

For the past month I have been taking 50mg of Losartan instead of 100 mg at the suggestion of the BP Clinic  and have been taking it at night. Whether I take it morning or night my BP drops from its morning high during the day after exercise. Some days it dropped much lower than I am comfortable with but if I take the tablet at night it does not drop so low in late afternoon but my overall average is then up. That is also probably due to taking the reduced dose.

Hi Derek ,interesting what you wrote on Losartan ,I had a problem with 100 mgs ,I didn't feel right ,my daughter in law a heart nurse. I gave a call to ,she said they were to strong  now I'm down to the 50 mgs ,I tolerate them better .still feel sluggish but not as I did on the 100 .

 I take mine at night also ,as taking them in the morning again didn't feel great as day went on  my cousin was on BP meds ,the Hsp told her to take them at night also ,if she took hers in the morning ,said she felt like she was going to pass out during the day  think that's down to the moving around one does .All a bit of a minefield med taking ,if you don't know best time  think a chemist would be good to ask if unsure .Im only on the one med ,

That's interesting, I wonder whether to give it a try, or should I ask the GP do you think?

I also take Losartan, the 25 mg dose and I take it when I get dressed in the morning after i have taken the BP, which is always way too high for my liking first thing.  Sometimes I think I should record the reading after breakfast as that is usually lower than first thing but would that be manipulating the numbers I wonder.  The averages are OK as the evening reading is lower and satisfies the dr but it bothers me that the early morning readings are too high.

 

I normally take mine three times in bed and use the average. If I leave till after breakfast it has dropped. I then take it in the evening and late at night.  

Like you everyone is satisfied with my average and discount a seemingly accepted theory that it is the peaks that are putting you in danger of a stroke. 

I don't think that there is a right or wrong time. We all have varying levels of BP at different times of day for some reason or other so the time that suits our body best is perhaps the right time to take it.

One recent off the cuff suggestion by the consultant at the BP clinic was that perhaps I don't really have hypertension but just peaks or spikes at certain times. That he added might be why I have had more than usual side effects from every drug tried because I don't really need them.!!

I told him that a GP many years ago had suggested that medications might not be helping and to stop them for a month. My average went from around 140/74 to 168/?? So I went back on them

My highest reading was 162  but then I was in a surgery  where it can go up by 15 ,as I have white coat syndrome ,plus mine is caused by stress from illness .What I never knew was if you chat away while the cuff is on ,your BP will be elevated prior to getting BP cuff on is to sit fairly quiet  no chatting in the waiting room either  .things one learn.The only other time I had BP was when I had my 2 kids ,many moons ago ,which is common for women .

Most doctors say that you should get to the surgery ten minutes early and sit relaxed and then no talking when the cuff is on.  

When just diagnosed and wanting to try anything to lower the BP before taking meds, I arrived in loads of time and sat in the car listening to Beethoven with my eyes closed before going inside,  where I had to wait even longer. It didn'tmake any difference !

My BP certainly goes up considerably when taken at GP's and hospitals although in myself I feel no different from when taking it at home. The expectation must be programmed into us after years of it.

Though when in hospital hooked up to monitors for a week after my aortic valve replacement they commented on how good my BP readings were.

I had a neck tumor removed couple years ago ,and yes my BP was okay ,as I say think it's stress  every day keeps mine elevated ,and my kicker is having tinnitus and my balance issue with it .thix k we all have a story to it .

Hi, blood pressure rises first thing as part of the waking up process. Soon settles.

I used to take mine on wakening as they do in hospitals but now I wait until up, dressed and breakfasted with much lower readings.

OK, I've realised that now. Given what you say - and I am sure you are right - which is the best reading to record - the higher earlier one or the later one?

 

I go to see a consultant at a hypertension centre. My readings can be a bit variable due to AF. He told me to take four over a ten minute period three times a day. If they are very varied he does not believe them but if at least three are pretty near each other he says they are reliable. Sometimes with AF it just gives an error reading although my model is supposed t cope with irregular readings. When I've had a 24  hour monitor they have had a lot of error readings and tend to give up after a few failures.

Yes, its the average over the day that counts. If you are active then bp will go up and down during daily activities. That's why they put a 24hr monitor on every so often if they are concerned.

Don't think it matters. Think more important to do at similar times each day for comparison.

They tend to say that but most heart attack and strokes occur in the morning or in the night when BP is high.

Sorry, I meant times of taking BP in response to another lady's question. My doc said take medication at night and I always have. If your BP is controlled then the risk of stroke is low anyway.

Most who take it at night do so to avoid the side effects during the day.