Chronomedicine: medication according to the internal clock?

The principle of chronomedicine is based on the so-called internal clock. According to this medical approach, there are fixed times when it is best to take certain medications. what’s up

What is chronomedicine anyway?

The term chronomedicine is made up of the words “chronos” and “medicine”. “Chronos” is Greek and means “time”. In this form of medicine, time is of particular importance. More precisely, it is based on the principle of the inner clock. Chronomedicine also deals with the ideal time for therapy or taking a certain medicine.

The principle of the internal clock states that the body does not work the same at all times and that the functions of the cardiovascular system and metabolism fluctuate over the course of the day and year. Everyone has an internal clock, which you may also find under the name biorhythm is known. This depends on various factors, for example the light and dark cycle of the day.

Research has also found that there are different chronotypes that are influenced by genes and other factors such as age and gender. Which chronotype you are, also influences the processes of your inner clock or your biorhythm.

Chronomedicine follows these rhythms

Probably the most influential process in chronomedicine is the 24-hour rhythm, which is also known as the circadian rhythm. All processes in the body follow it. It therefore also influences the course of diseases and the effectiveness of drugs and therapies.

Bodily functions vary throughout the day according to the circadian rhythm. Blood pressure, for example, rises most directly after getting up and is significantly lower at other times of the day. This is also one of the reasons why heart attacks tend to happen in the morning. Body temperature, on the other hand, is at its lowest point in the morning and then peaks around 6 p.m. in the evening. The perception of pain is also not the same throughout the day: your pain threshold is higher in the afternoon than in the morning or at night.

In addition to the day and night rhythm, there is also an annual rhythm that influences the susceptibility to various health problems and diseases. In winter, for example, there are usually more heart attacks than in summer or spring.

This is what the rhythms for taking medication and therapies mean

As already mentioned, the body’s own rhythms have an influence on the effectiveness of medicines and therapies. We have summarized a few concrete examples for you here.

people under arthritis or rheumatism suffer and have to take medication with cortisone, it is best to do this immediately after getting up, as this suits the body rhythm best. You should also take medication for high blood pressure immediately after getting up, as this is when blood pressure rises the most.

However, if you are on an elevated cholesterol levels suffer, it is best to take the appropriate medication in the evening. This is because the molecule that responds to the drug is more active at night. The same goes for asthma medications. Ideally, you should also take these in the evening, as the lungs are particularly sensitive to allergy-causing substances at night.

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