We often see prompts such as "take before meals" and "take after meals" on drug instructions. Have you ever thought about how long "take before meals" counts as "take before meals"? Why do we have to take it before meals? What happens when taken after a meal? What about taking it after meals? Medications taken before meals: Medications taken on an empty stomach are generally recommended to be taken 1 hour before meals, while medications taken before meals are generally recommended to be taken 15-30 minutes before meals. Medications that need to be taken before meals, if taken after meals, may affect the absorption of the medication and thus affect its efficacy. This type of medication generally includes: 01 hypoglycemic drugs. After eating, blood sugar will rise. To avoid significant fluctuations in blood sugar, hypoglycemic drugs are usually taken 30 minutes before meals, such as glitazidine, glipizide, and gliquidone. 02 Digestive system drugs Many digestive system drugs need to be taken before meals, such as proton pump inhibitors (omeprazole, pantoprazole, etc.), which should be taken half an hour before breakfast to effectively inhibit the increase in gastric acid secretion caused by postprandial food stimulation; Gastrointestinal motility promoting drugs (such as domperidone and metoclopramide) are recommended to be taken 15-30 minutes before meals, which can help promote gastric peristalsis and downward emptying of food; Gastric mucosal protectants (such as compound glutamine, sucralfate, etc.) should also be taken before meals to ensure that the medication fully acts on the stomach wall. In addition, lipid-lowering drugs (such as fenofibrate) and anticoagulants (such as earthworm kinase) are also recommended to be taken before meals. Medications taken after meals should generally be taken 15-30 minutes after meals because they need to be taken after meals. If taken before meals, it may worsen stomach irritation or fail to achieve the desired therapeutic effect. This type of medication generally includes: 01 Non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs Non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (such as acetaminophen, indomethacin, nimesulide, ibuprofen, diclofenac, etc.) are generally recommended to be taken after meals, as this can reduce the irritation of these drugs on the gastrointestinal tract. But many times this medication is taken on demand, for example, in order to relieve symptoms in a timely manner, there is no need to wait until after normal meal times. If taking this type of medication can cause gastrointestinal discomfort, you can eat a small amount of food before taking the medication. 02 Vitamins Our stomach is in an acidic environment, and vitamins B1, B2, etc. are easily destroyed in acidic environments. Taking them after meals is beneficial for the absorption of these vitamins. In addition, some drugs, such as aluminum phosphate gel, need to be taken at different times according to different indications. For example, taking medication after meals is necessary for treating esophageal diseases; Take medication after meals and before bedtime when treating gastroesophageal reflux and esophagitis; Take it half an hour before meals when treating gastritis and gastric ulcers; When treating duodenal ulcers, take it 3 hours after meals and when there is pain. Morning medication refers to taking medication in the morning, and unless otherwise emphasized, it can be taken before or after breakfast. This type of medication generally includes: 01 long-acting antihypertensive drugs. Long acting antihypertensive drugs such as amlodipine tablets, perindopril tablets, nifedipine sustained-release tablets, nifedipine controlled-release tablets, benazepril tablets, cilnidipine, etc. are generally taken once a day, and it is recommended to take them around 7-8 am in the morning to maintain blood drug concentration throughout the day and effectively control blood pressure peaks during the day. 02 Anti angina drugs such as metoprolol extended release tablets, bisoprolol tablets, etc. These medications only need to be taken once a day and should be taken in the morning to avoid the risk of increased sympathetic nervous system excitability during low temperatures, which can lead to elevated blood pressure and angina. 03 Antidepressants such as fluoxetine, paroxetine, fluoxetine, and metoprolol tablets. These medications are mostly taken once a day and are recommended to be taken in the morning, as symptoms of depression often manifest as heavy in the morning and light in the evening. Taking them in the morning can help alleviate anxiety and depression symptoms. 04 Diuretics such as furosemide, spironolactone, etc. If taking the medication once a day, it is recommended to take it in the morning to avoid excessive nighttime urination affecting sleep and rest. Thyroid hormone drugs such as levothyroxine sodium tablets. Due to its irregular absorption, it is advisable to take the medication half an hour before breakfast and administer the daily dose on an empty stomach with an appropriate liquid to facilitate drug absorption. Medications taken before bedtime need to be estimated based on the time of falling asleep each day, usually taken 15-30 minutes before bedtime. This type of medication mainly includes: 01 sleeping pills. Common sleeping pills include escitalopram, alprazolam, zopiclone, clonazepam, zolpidem, etc., which are usually taken 15-30 minutes before bedtime. Sleeping pills should definitely be used before bedtime. 02 Antiallergic drugs such as chlorpheniramine maleate, cetirizine, loratadine, ebastine, etc. This type of medication can easily cause adverse reactions such as fatigue, drowsiness, dizziness, etc. It is recommended to take it at night. 03 Antiasthmatic drugs such as leukotriene receptor inhibitor montelukast sodium, β 2 receptor agonist salbutamol, theophylline sustained-release tablets, etc. If the doctor recommends taking them once a day, the best time to take them is at night. Because asthma patients often have attacks or exacerbations at night or in the early morning. Calcium supplements such as calcium carbonate D3 tablets, if taken only once a day, are recommended to be taken after meals or before bedtime at night. On the one hand, because an acidic environment is conducive to the absorption of calcium, eating can stimulate the secretion of stomach acid, and shortly after meals is the time when stomach acid secretion is most abundant. Therefore, it is best to take calcium supplements about 1 hour after meals. On the other hand, according to normal hormone secretion regulation, the human body has the lowest blood calcium levels between midnight and early morning, and the absorption rate of calcium supplements taken at night is the highest, making them the most utilized. Everyone can choose according to their habits. The most recommended time to remember taking medication is when it is easiest to remember. 05 Insecticides such as Miechongning and Changchongqing can be taken before bedtime to reduce discomfort during the day. Well, well, after saying so much, non professionals say they can't remember. It's normal to not remember. The reason why I say so much is not to make everyone remember, but to emphasize one thing - carefully read the "usage and dosage" in the instructions before taking the medicine. If the instructions have specific standards, such as "take one hour after meals", then the instructions should prevail. At the same time, the specific medication and dosage should follow the doctor's guidance. (New Society)