New study finds only one in five Sri Lankan adults control high blood pressure

Saturday, 17 May 2025 01:13 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Findings released on World Hypertension Day 2025

A new study by Sri Lankan researchers has found that only one in five adults with high blood pressure in Sri Lanka have their condition under control, highlighting the need to strengthen detection and treatment of Sri Lankan patients with high blood pressure.

Just published in the international journal BMC Public Health, the study analysed data from over 6,300 adults across the country, collected by the Sri Lanka Health and Ageing Study (SLHAS). The SLHAS is a Sri Lankan research initiative led by the Institute for Health Policy (IHP), the University of Colombo, University of Peradeniya, University of Ruhuna, and Rajarata University of Sri Lanka, that has been tracking the health of seven thousand Sri Lankans since 2018.

SLHAS researchers previously reported that 28% of Sri Lankan adults suffer from hypertension. This new study examines how well this condition was managed in 2019.

Key findings include:

Among those with hypertension, only half (53%) have ever been diagnosed, and only 20% have their blood pressure under control.

While 44% of Sri Lankans with hypertension are being treated, less than half of them (45%) have their blood pressure under control.

Control was worse in men, and in Tamil and Muslim Sri Lankans.

Public sector patients appeared to be more likely to have their blood pressure controlled than those treated in the private sector.

The theme of this year’s World Hypertension Day, observed on 17 May, is “Measure Your Blood Pressure Accurately, Control It, Live Longer.” High blood pressure is a major risk factor for heart attacks, strokes, kidney disease, and premature death — but it can be effectively managed with proper care.

IHP Executive Director Dr. Ravi Rannan-Eliya said: “While we do well in diagnosing high blood pressure, we need to focus a lot more on managing blood pressure in patients better. Otherwise, there is no point in screening people. These findings should spur more aggressive action to find out why control often fails, and to support doctors to do better.”

Discover Kapruka, the leading online shopping platform in Sri Lanka, where you can conveniently send Gifts and Flowers to your loved ones for any event including Valentine ’s Day. Explore a wide range of popular Shopping Categories on Kapruka, including Toys, Groceries, Electronics, Birthday Cakes, Fruits, Chocolates, Flower Bouquets, Clothing, Watches, Lingerie, Gift Sets and Jewellery. Also if you’re interested in selling with Kapruka, Partner Central by Kapruka is the best solution to start with. Moreover, through Kapruka Global Shop, you can also enjoy the convenience of purchasing products from renowned platforms like Amazon and eBay and have them delivered to Sri Lanka.