When should you take your blood pressure medicine?

Luke Laffin, MD, is a preventive cardiologist and Medical Director of Cardiac Rehabilitation in the Section of Preventive Cardiology, who specializes in difficult to treat blood pressure. Dr. Laffin addresses the question: When is the best time to take blood pressure medications?

[merncat]

Just adding a short 20 minute walk twice a day has dropped my BP to normal after 30 years of being extremely high

[lekeciaedmond]

Should you take the medication even if it’s normal/not high? Example a family member has to take it three times a day every day. But what if it’s actually normal or low.. should they still take, wouldn’t it be dangerous if it’s too low?

[kxewws]

I take mine at night now: used to take in the morning. My pressure on a whole food plant based diet is 90/60.

[USSBARBEL]

Thanks, Doc. Appreciate the honesty and perspective.

[JesusIsLordLasVegas]

Losartan makes me tired (I wonder if it's due to a severe drop in blood pressure?), so I have no choice but to take it at night about an hour or two before bed.

[Ryan____Z]

I’m 33, have anxiety, high blood pressure etc. I was on anxiety medication for 3 years before coming off. Managed to do it successfully as the medication wasn’t working anymore, so I thought what’s the point of being on it. I have to keep checking my BP once every 6 months at home. My last 7 day average was 135/90 and the doctors said that it wasn’t high enough to go on BP medication. Sometimes it’s higher sometimes it’s lower. I want to try and lower my BP and anxiety levels normally without medication. But it’s hard, as I don’t drink, don’t smoke and I excercise. Not sure what else I can do.

[mansari]

Well explained with facts and studies that makes sense. Thank you Luke for providing important facts and information 👏👌👍.

[Akshay-dzlg]

So Dr luke advices to take it any time either morning or night it doesn't have too big difference am I right?

[mdavis]

On amlodipine 5mg 45 yrs old...pressure
Was always good.. now 73yr 2months
Ago started feeling tired stress and
Losing weight....also pressure 150/60
My pressure never that high....
Beginning to have other health issues with my stomach...now doctor's prescribing all these medications .
Nurse took my pressure 2 days ago sigh ok....started taking other
Medication G.I. doctor prescribed.
Pressure back up to 150/60???
I'm beginning to wonder if it 's the other
Medication that's elevating my
Pressure....my cardio gram was good.
But doctor wants me to take stress test.
And nuclear test.

[anushrestha]

I have blood pressure but I do not use the medicine. I control my food to control my blood pressure and this is working also. is this good? is blood pressure medicine necessary?

[chrisharris]

When Doc says to take BP meds at night, I think he means about 3 hours before bed time, since he says you want to avoid blood pressure going too low. That's what happened to me after I was prescribed Lisinopril and told to take AT bedtime. I went into hypotension overnight and suffered Non-arteritic Anterior Ischemic Optic Neuropathy (NAION), which caused permanent blindness in my right eye.

[aLamgo.]

Usually my bp high at afternoon and night
In the morning it is usually good

[ellenlee]

what do you do if the meds don't work? for over 55 years I have take every type of lower blood pressure meds on the market at that time and have never worked.

[melvinhathorn]

I always take my meds in the morning because it fits my lifestyle better.

[darrenhirst]

Brought my blood pressure down and my anxiety too. You can feel the blood going through your veins and your hearting relaxing.
I love the tablet and I'm scared of taking tablets.

[cyrreljohnquiambao]

is it safe to drink amlodipine with 120/70 blood pressure because I don't know if it is safe to drink it this is the 6th time I encountered this blood pressure normally it is around 136/86 to 138/90

[Researchwithrajwa]

Can you take losartan and propranolol together?

[freddiefred]

I tried at night but they made me start flushing and sweating but not during the day

[paulmartin]

Whats best time to take amlodipine I take lisinopril 10mg at night and 2.5 at 3pm ok Luke

[robertbutler]

I would have thought by taking the medication early in the morning when you are likely to experience the most stress during the day would be the best option. If you asked 50 Drs the same question you would get 60 different answers.