Understanding biorhythms better is helping doctors direct treatments, including the best times to take various medications.
Researchers are finding that the body’s internal clocks play a role in determining when some diseases flare up. For instance, heart attacks often occur in the morning, epileptic seizures peak in the late afternoon, and asthma attacks get worse and more deadly between 11 p.m. and 3 a.m.
Understanding biorhythms better is helping doctors direct treatments, including the best times to take various medications. To take best advantage of the body’s circadian and other cycles, some experts recommend taking medications at these times:
Morning:
- Diuretics – to avoid nighttime urination
- Osteoporosis drugs – on an empty stomach, to maximize absorption
- Stimulants – to minimize insomnia
- Osteoarthritic drugs – four hours before flare-ups are expected
Evening:
- Acid blockers – at dinnertime, since stomach acid peaks at night
- Beta-blockers and ACE inhibitors – to help ward off blood clots that contribute to early morning heart attacks
- Daily aspirin for heart risk – to minimize early morning clot formation
- Statins – at bedtime, to lower bad cholesterol in the early morning
- Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) – to control overnight inflammation due to arthritis and minimize stomach upset
- Corticosteroids for chronic asthma – at bedtime, to minimize overnight attacks.
Relevant source:
http://www.wsj.com/articles/your-bodys-witching-hours-1433198297
Curated from The Wall Street Journal
