What to do when you forget to take your blood pressure medication

Life happens—and everyone is likely to forget to take their medication at some point. Here’s what to do next if you’ve missed your blood pressure pills:

If you’ve missed one dose:

• If it’s shortly after the time you usually take the medication, take your normal dose right away.
• If it’s close to the time you’d take your next dose (within 12 hours), wait and take your normal dose (don’t take an extra pill).

If you’ve missed two doses:

• Do not take two doses at once. Doing so can have side effects, like lowering your blood pressure and making you feel lightheaded.
• Take your next scheduled dose at the regular time.

If you missed more than two doses, get back on your regular medication schedule as soon as possible. Then, make some adjustments to your routine to make sure you take your medication as prescribed going forward. Here are some ideas:

• Set a reminder alarm on your device.
• Leave medication in a visible spot, like on the table or counter.
• Attach the act of taking your medication with something you don’t forget to do at a consistent time each day, like brushing your teeth or walking your dog.
• Use a pill organizer to easily see when you’ve forgotten to take a dose.
• Add when you’ll need to order a refill from the pharmacy to your calendar so you don’t run out.