What Is The Best Time To Take Medicines?

There are a variety of things which may affect how well a drug works. Drugs stay active within the body for a specific time length. For this reason you have to take different drugs at various intervals of time. How long it may take the body to soak up a drug and reach the level where it operates best also varies.

You have got to take most drugs at routine times to ensure you have the right degree of the drug within your body. For example, painkillers work best in case you take them on a regular basis and take a power of the drug that keeps pain under control.

Some drugs are better consumed on a full stomach and some before eating anything. You should follow your doctor's instructions carefully. If you are not sure if you need to take your drugs before eating anything or not, check with your physician, nurse or pharmacist. In case you have diarrhoea or are vomiting, it could affect the efficiency of the drug.

Grapefruit interferes with a number of drugs like cholesterol lowering drugs. If you take one of these drugs you should not eat grapefruit or drink grapefruit juice at all. If we come to know that a certain food or beverage will probably affect the medication we are taking, we should stop taking it.

Now let us look at certain drugs that need to be taken during different parts of the day.

1. Medicines To Be Taken On An Empty Stomach:
The drugs for hyper and hypothyroidism and also osteoporosis should be taken early in the morning on an empty stomach half an hour before breakfast. Also make sure to avoid taking any supplements for two more hours as these can interfere with the proper working of the drugs.

2. Medicines To Be Taken During Lunchtime:
Calcium, magnesium and vitamin D medicines should be taken during lunchtime. More than 500 mg of calcium tablets should not be taken at one go. You can take the second one during dinner.

3. Medicines To Be Taken During Bedtime:
Medicines to lower high blood pressure and cholesterol should be taken at bedtime.