I have taken this at bedtime for a few years now and also take lisinopril in the morning. Like you, strokes and heart disease run in my family. Taking these meds is a small price to pay for controlling it. I was diagnosed with hypertension in my early 40s, a couple of years following a hysterectomy and my MS diagnosis. Stress can be a huge factor as well. Any sort of decongestant can elevate it greatly, as can coffee and anti-inflammatory pain pills.