Timing Your BP Meds Right Could Save Your Heart's Life
A recent study has revealed a link between
timing blood pressure medication with an individual's chronotype and a
lower risk of heart attack. Chronotype is the body's internal clock,
which influences natural sleep-wake rhythms.
The study's findings suggest that aligning medication intake with these
personal rhythms, such as nighttime for night owls and morning for early
risers, may provide some protection against the cardiovascular risks
associated with high blood pressure (hypertension).
In this new study, an international
research team analyzed the medical records of approximately 5,300
participants. Following an in-depth evaluation of their chronotype
(preferred sleep-wake schedule), the participants were randomly assigned
to groups. Each group was instructed to take their blood pressure
medicine at a specific time. The researchers then painstakingly observed
all subjects over several months to determine the effect of drug
scheduling on health outcomes.
"These results are exciting because they
could represent a paradigm shift in the treatment of hypertension," says
Filippo Pigazzani, a cardiologist at the University of Dundee in the
UK, who co-led the study.
The researchers claim that for the "first time" they have shown that
considering a patient's chronotype when determining the appropriate dose
time for antihypertensive medication – an approach termed personalized
chronotherapy – could potentially decrease the risk of heart attack.
The research team focused on the potential
impact of medication timing within the context of individual circadian
rhythms. These 24-hour biological cycles, influenced by genetics and
other factors, are known to control various physiological activities,
including sleep patterns.
The researchers hypothesized that circadian rhythms, which are known to
influence body temperature, hormone levels, and metabolism, could also
help regulate blood pressure fluctuations throughout the day. Based on
this hypothesis, they investigated whether the timing of blood pressure
medication intake could be an important determinant. Previous studies on
the subject have produced inconclusive results.
The study investigated the potential
connection between medication timing and heart attack risk, beginning
with a preliminary assessment of participants' chronotypes. This first
phase considered the previously shown link between chronotypes and
diseases such as anxiety and type 2 diabetes. The findings revealed that
medication schedules that were not linked with individual chronotypes
increased the risk of heart attack significantly. Also, this effect was
strongest among "night owls," those who have a natural proclivity for
late-night activities and who take their prescription in the morning.
"It's important for physicians to remember
that not all patients are the same," says circadian biologist and
co-lead author Kenneth Dyar, from Helmholtz Munich in Germany.
"Humans show wide inter-individual differences in their chronotype, and
these personal differences are known to affect disease risk."