Tips for Handling High Blood Pressure Medication Properly
High blood pressure medications, like medicines in general, are relatively sensitive products. There are several things to keep in mind to prevent a loss of quality. This article provides many helpful tips to make it easier for you to handle your blood pressure-lowering medications in everyday life.
Storing high blood pressure medication correctly
Medicines are sensitive products that may lose quality if stored incorrectly. To safeguard your own safety and that of those around you as effectively as possible, the German Federal Ministry of Health recommends the following (as of 14 February 2023):1
- Information on how to store the medicine correctly, including the appropriate temperature, can be found on the box and in the package leaflet. Three common temperature ranges are: room temperature, refrigerated or frozen.
- Every medicine has an expiry date. Medicines that have passed their expiry date should no longer be taken. The next chapter explains how to dispose of expired medicines.
- Medicines should remain in their original packaging, as this provides additional protection from light. The package leaflet contains important instructions for use and must be kept so that it can be consulted if questions arise later.
- Medicines must not be exposed to high temperatures or direct sunlight.
- Storing medicines in the bathroom is not recommended, even though this is very common. High humidity and fluctuating temperatures can damage medicines.
- Medicines should be kept out of reach of children and animals.
Disposing of high blood pressure medication
Proper disposal of medicines is important for people and the environment. If a medicine has expired or there are other reasons why it needs to be disposed of, the following procedure should be followed:
The package leaflet indicates whether the so-called waste medicine needs to be disposed of separately. Unless otherwise stated in the package leaflet, medicines may be disposed of with household waste in Germany. To prevent active ingredients from entering the groundwater and consequently the environment, medicines should never be disposed of via the toilet or sink.
Rinsing out containers with residual medication should also be avoided. Municipalities and pharmacies sometimes offer additional services and information on the proper disposal of medication to help protect the environment.1
Splitting tablets
There may be various reasons for splitting tablets: on the one hand, if the doctor wants to achieve the lowest necessary dose, and on the other hand, to save costs2.
However, there are several points to consider before splitting tablets:
If a tablet is broken, it must be assumed that the individual fragments are of different sizes or that particles are lost and, consequently, the dose is not the same.3
The package leaflet states whether or not a tablet may be split. As this information is not always provided, you should ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice if you are unsure.
A so-called score line does not guarantee that a tablet may be split, as there are also so-called decorative score lines. Soft gelatin capsules and coated tablets cannot be split at all. If a tablet without a score line needs to be split, a doctor or pharmacist should be consulted beforehand.
High blood pressure medications that, due to their special formulation, release their active ingredient over an extended period are called extended-release tablets. Breaking these tablets may disrupt this mechanism and lead to an overdose of the active ingredient because it is released too quickly. Extended-release tablets should not be split unless the package leaflet states that this is permitted.
Some medications have a special coating that protects them from acidic gastric juices and ensures that they are not absorbed into the body until later. If this protective coating is broken by splitting the medication, it may be less effective or cause side effects.3
If you have difficulty swallowing, the package leaflet will state whether the tablets may be crushed. If anything is unclear, ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice.
Some people find it very difficult to split medication by hand. Pill cutters can make splitting easier and are available from pharmacies.3
Tip: Before splitting or taking tablets, make sure your hands are sufficiently clean. Washing or disinfecting your hands can prevent or reduce the transfer of germs to your tablet. However, your hands should be dry when taking the tablet, as moisture can cause it to soften prematurely.
Organizing high blood pressure medications
Keeping track of daily medications is not always easy. In Germany, people who are prescribed three or more medications are entitled to what is known as the nationally standardized medication plan. This document provides a clear list of all prescribed medications. The medication plan is available in both digital and paper form.4
However, there are other aids that can make it easier to organize blood pressure-lowering medications. Here we present three options, along with their advantages and disadvantages:
Medication dispensers
One way to organize medication is to sort it in advance into compartment systems known as medication dispensers. Each day and time of day (morning, noon, evening) is assigned a compartment in the dispenser, and the daily medication is sorted accordingly. The compartments can be filled with tablets by you, by someone assisting you, or by a healthcare professional.
Pharmacies also offer this service. However, once the tablets have been removed from the blister packs and, if necessary, divided, they are exposed to fluctuations in temperature and humidity, which can negatively affect the quality of the medicines.3,5 To prevent this, the tablets can be cut out of the blister pack with scissors without opening them and stored in box systems with larger containers. Once the tablets have been removed from the blister packs, it may be difficult to match them to their active ingredients again. In any case, the tablets' outer packaging and package leaflet should be kept.5
Blister Packaging Service
With a medication blister packaging service, the medications needed each day are professionally sealed into individual blister packs. This service is offered by pharmacies and has the advantage that the medications are packaged into blister packs by trained professionals. They know which tablets may be placed together in a blister pack, making the allocation safer than when done by non-professionals.
App
Smartphones accompany us almost everywhere in everyday life. Blood pressure apps are therefore a useful way to receive reminders to take your blood pressure medication every day in order to keep your blood pressure within the desired range.6 If you would like to enjoy all the benefits of the Tensana app, you can find more information here.
Preparing for your vacation
Travelling with medication requires some preparation. Here is what you should bear in mind:
It is advisable to prepare an adequate supply of necessary medication before travelling. The pharmacy should be contacted in good time, and prescriptions should be checked to ensure they are still valid. There should be enough medication not only for the entire trip, but also for any unforeseen delays in returning home. An emergency supply for a few days is recommended.
Import ban lists: Some countries (e.g. Singapore) have very strict lists of medicines that may not be imported. These can be obtained from the relevant embassies and websites providing information on individual countries' customs regulations. Before departure, it is advisable to ask a doctor to provide a prescription and the instructions for use, including the medicine's chemical composition, in the relevant language or in English.
It is important to store medicines correctly even while on holiday: During the summer months, temperatures inside a car can get very high. Medicines should be stored so that they are exposed to neither direct sunlight nor intense heat.1
Incorrect use and side effects
You may forget to take a dose or accidentally take the wrong medication. Mistakes are human, and hiding them can lead to complications. Please follow these tips:
You have taken the wrong medication: Contact your doctor immediately and explain which medication you took by mistake and which one you actually intended to take. Do not wait under any circumstances to see whether anything happens.
You have missed a dose: The package leaflets provide information on what to do if you have missed a dose. In most cases, taking a double dose to make up for the missed dose is not recommended. Contact your doctor, who will explain exactly what to do if you have missed a dose.
You are experiencing side effects: If you feel unwell or suspect that you are experiencing a side effect from your blood pressure medication, you should consult your doctor. You are advised not to replace or switch medications on your own. Some medications must be tapered off slowly before switching, such as beta blockers. In an emergency or if your condition worsens, please call the emergency services.
In addition, you or your doctor can report side effects. This is an important part of pharmacovigilance, which monitors the safety of medicines that have already been approved. Information on how to report side effects is available from the Paul-Ehrlich-Institut.
Sources
- https://www.bundesgesundheitsministerium.de/arzneimittelentsorgung-und-aufbewahrung.html (Cited on 14 February 2023)1
- Stafford, R. S. & Radley, D. C. The potential of pill splitting to achieve cost savings. Am. J. Manag. Care 8, 706–712 (2002)2
- Saran, A. K., Holden, N. A. & Garrison, S. R. Concerns regarding tablet splitting: a systematic review. BJGP Open 6, BJGPO.2022.00013
- https://www.bundesaerztekammer.de/themen/aerzte/digitalisierung/digitale-anwendungen/telematikinfrastruktur/medikationsplan (Cited on 15 February 2023)4
- Borja-Oliveira, C. R. de. Pill organizers and pill cutters: risks and limitations. Rev. Saúde Pública 47, 123–127 (2013)5
- Xu, H. & Long, H. The Effect of Smartphone App-Based Interventions for Patients With Hypertension: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. JMIR MHealth UHealth 8, e21759 (2020)6
This article is from Tensana – the leading app since 2011, helping hundreds of thousands of people monitor their blood pressure every day.
Our content is based on carefully researched, evidence-based data and is continuously updated (as of 12/2025).
Author Dr. med. univ. Lisa Raberger studied medicine at the Medical University of Vienna and gained broad clinical experience at several hospitals. Now a full-time medical writer, she communicates evidence-based specialist knowledge to a global audience while ensuring reliable, easy-to-understand information.
Author Dr. med. univ. Lisa Raberger studied medicine at the Medical University of Vienna and gained broad clinical experience at several hospitals. Now a full-time medical writer, she communicates evidence-based specialist knowledge to a global audience while ensuring reliable, easy-to-understand information.
We hope you found the article helpful. For good blood pressure control, it's important to take your medications correctly. Our app Tensana will gladly remind you when to take them.
It also keeps track of your medication supply and notifies you in time when you're running low. This feature is fully available in the free version as well. Get the free app now.
