The Best Time of Day to Take Blood Pressure Medicine

Blood pressure medication plays a vital part in the treatment of hypertension. The best time for you to take your blood pressure medicine depends on the level of the drug in your system, the instructions your physician has given you based on your individual case and personal habits that help you take your prescriptions as directed.

Pharmaceutical Action

• Like most medications, blood pressure medicine has to reach a therapeutic level in your blood stream to produce the desired effect, and that therapeutic level has to be maintained. When your doctor prescribed the medication she did, she took into consideration how quickly the medication will enter your system as well as how quickly your body will use and excrete the drug. To maintain a therapeutic level of your blood pressure medicine in your system, the best time of day to take blood pressure medicine, whatever time you have determined that to be, is the same time every day.

As Instructed

• To reach therapeutic levels, some drugs must be taken once a day, while others require multiple doses throughout the day. Your doctor has prescribed your blood pressure medication to be taken on a schedule that takes those factors into account, and to help the peak effectiveness of your medication coincide with the time of day your blood pressure is most likely to be highest. The dosage schedule your doctor gave you is designed to minimize side effects and maximize effectiveness. Take your medication according to your doctor's instructions. For example, if your doctor prescribes one pill in the morning and one at bedtime, don't take two pills in the morning and then consider yourself done for the day. If your dosing schedule is giving you problems, talk to your doctor; don't make changes on your own.

Personal Preference

• As a patient, you do have some flexibility when it comes to determining the best time to take your blood pressure medicine. For example, if your doctor prescribes a pill to be taken "once a day," that pill can can be taken at any time during the day unless your doctor tells you otherwise. You might find it easier to take your medicine in the morning with breakfast, or you might find it easier to remember if it is on your bedside table and you take it at bedtime. A pill that needs to be taken three times a day can, unless your doctor says otherwise, be taken with meals so long as your mealtimes are consistent, and the pills can be taken with food. If your blood pressure medicine contains a diuretic, you will probably want to take it in the morning, or at least several hours before going to bed.

  Overall, the best time to take your blood pressure medicine is when you will remember to take it the same time, every day, according to your doctor's prescribed dosing instructions.