A cardiologist has explained that there is a sensitive time of day when the risk of a heart attack doubles — a period when blood vessels constrict, and blood pressure spikes sharply.

That time is at night, especially toward early morning. The doctor emphasized that nighttime poses the highest risk for heart attacks due to a surge in hormones — particularly in people with inconsistent medication schedules, according to the Hindustan Times.

According to Dr. Dmitry Yaranov, a cardiologist at Stern Cardiovascular Physicians in the United States, this applies especially to people with untreated high blood pressure, unstable arterial plaque, or those who forget to take their heart medication on time.

In a recent social media post, Dr. Yaranov explained the cause of this phenomenon.

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Why does the risk of heart attacks double at night?

Dr. Yaranov noted that most people assume heart attacks happen randomly. However, he pointed out that the highest risk occurs during the early morning hours, when people are still lying in bed.

He explained that this is when stress hormones like cortisol surge, blood vessels constrict, and blood pressure spikes suddenly.

For people with untreated hypertension or unstable arterial plaque, this combination can be extremely dangerous. Moreover, one crucial factor often overlooked by patients is missing their heart medication. If doses are skipped or taken inconsistently, the body’s defenses are not prepared for the sudden morning rise in blood pressure, the cardiologist warned.

Dr. Yaranov added a chilling reminder:

“Sometimes, the first symptom is also the last.”

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When is the best time to take blood pressure medication?

Doctors often recommend taking medication in the morning as part of a daily routine. However, recent research suggests that taking blood pressure medicine at night may provide important cardiovascular protection.

Dr. Allen J. Taylor, Chief of Cardiology at MedStar Heart and Vascular Institute (USA), shared his perspective on this research and what patients should know.

He said:

“A large-scale study published in the European Heart Journal definitely caught my attention. What’s striking is that it found patients who took their prescribed blood pressure medications before bedtime had a significantly lower risk of serious cardiovascular disease and death compared to those who took them in the morning.”

In addition to achieving better overall blood pressure control, patients who took medication at night experienced the following benefits:

• 56% reduction in risk of death from cardiovascular diseases

• 49% reduction in risk of stroke

• 42% reduction in risk of heart failure

• 34% reduction in risk of heart attack

• 40% reduction in the need for surgical procedures to open or widen heart arteries

Although these impressive findings require further confirmation, the large scale and long duration of the study lend it substantial credibility.

The U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) also recommends that taking blood pressure medication in the evening may be more beneficial than taking it in the morning. Evening doses allow the medicine to work overnight, reducing the risk of heart disease and death.

Even if your doctor prescribes blood pressure medicine for both morning and evening, the nighttime dose remains crucial — never skip it, according to the Hindustan Times.