Bedtime BP medication prevents heart attacks, strokes: DAK

On World Hypertension Day, Doctors Association Kashmir (DAK) Thursday said taking blood pressure lowering medication at bedtime prevents heart attacks and strokes.

“If you take your blood pressure pill at bedtime, you haveless chances of getting a heart attack or stroke,” said DAK President Dr Nisarul Hassan.

   

Quoting a study, Dr Nisar said patients who took bloodpressure pills at bedtime were one-third less likely to suffer from a heartattack or stroke than those who took pills in the morning.

“Blood pressure shows a 24-hour rhythm, higher during theday and lower during night time. However, people with high blood pressure donot exhibit this night time dip. This non-dipping increase the risk of heartattack and stroke,” he said.

“Sleep-time blood pressure is best reduced whenmedication is taken at bedtime,” he added.

“Based on the study, it is time to reconsider the timing ofyour blood pressure medication,” Dr Nisar said.

“If you are taking only one pill, take it at nighttime. Ifyou are taking more than one drug, then taking one of them at night before bedmakes sense,” he said.

 Dr Nisar said highblood pressure, also called hypertension is a silent killer and a modernepidemic and is the most important cause of preventable death.

“Many people don’t know they have high blood pressure. Thereare no symptoms and some people only find out after they suffer a heart attackor stroke,” he said.

“One of the problems is that less than half the people withhypertension have had their blood pressure measured and their conditiondiagnosed. Of those who have been diagnosed, less than half are treated – sothis is an enormous health issue,” said Dr Nisar.

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