Over Half of Treated Sri Lankan Hypertensive Patients Have Uncontrolled Blood Pressure
More than half of treated hypertensive patients in Sri Lanka have uncontrolled blood pressure despite receiving specialist medical care, according to a nationwide multicenter study published in BMC Cardiovascular Disorders. Following age-standardization against the World Health Organization World Standard Population, researchers identified an overall uncontrolled blood pressure prevalence of 51.8 percent among clinical attendees across the island nation.
Hypertension represents a critical global health challenge with a notably higher prevalence in low- and middle-income nations compared to high-income countries. To evaluate the performance of real-world management strategies within this economic context, the investigative team assessed blood pressure control among individuals attending specialized medical clinics across all nine provinces of Sri Lanka.
The multicenter investigation was established within the specialized medical clinics of one apex hospital in every one of the country’s nine provinces. The study recruited all patients diagnosed with hypertension by a consultant physician who presented for clinical care over the span of a single month, yielding a final analytical cohort of 2,930 patients with confirmed hypertension.
Clinical blood pressure was classified as adequately controlled if both systolic blood pressure remained below 140 mmHg and diastolic blood pressure remained below 90 mmHg during the patient’s most recent consultation. The investigators standardized prevalence estimates by age and sex using the World Health Organization World Standard Population, applying analysis of variance and the F distribution to determine whether observed differences between group means achieved statistical significance.
Standardized findings revealed that blood pressure control deteriorated progressively as patient age advanced. While uncontrolled blood pressure was documented in 28.6 percent of young adults aged 20 to 24 years, the rate climbed steadily through successive age brackets, culminating in a peak prevalence of 78.9 percent among patients aged 85 years and older.
The age-standardized prevalence of uncontrolled hypertension was comparable between sexes, recorded at 54.2 percent among females and 53.8 percent among males. However, physiological trajectories diverged across age groups, as mean systolic blood pressure increased continuously with advancing age, whereas diastolic blood pressure reached its peak during middle age before declining among older cohorts.
Sex-specific analyses demonstrated that among individuals with uncontrolled hypertension, male patients experienced higher overall blood pressure levels, with the highest mean systolic reading of 164.09 mmHg recorded among men aged 60 to 74 years. Additionally, socioeconomic factors played a substantial role in patient distribution, with 53 percent of participants residing in districts situated below the poverty line, where a significant difference in diastolic blood pressure was observed.
The study authors concluded that blood pressure control remains inadequate for more than half of treated hypertensive individuals in Sri Lanka, worsening markedly among older adults. In light of elevated blood pressure levels among men and the steep vulnerability of aging cohorts, the authors emphasized an urgent need for intensified clinical management strategies to improve control rates and mitigate downstream cardiovascular risks.
Subject of Research: Prevalence and demographic patterns of uncontrolled blood pressure among treated hypertensive patients in Sri Lanka
Article Title: Unveiling the national epidemic of uncontrolled blood pressure in a low middle-income country: a nation wide multicenter study
Article References: Matthias, A. T., Priyamali Jayasekera, M. M. T., Sujanitha, V., Jayasinghe, I. K., Deeptha Dayan Wickramaratne, W. M., Bandusiri, R. P., Dias, L., Mayurathan, P., Warsha Dilhani De Zoysa, P. D., Wathuyaye Gamaethiralalage Karunara, S. G., Galhena, H. T., & Prathapan, S. (2026). Unveiling the national epidemic of uncontrolled blood pressure in a low middle-income country: a nation wide multicenter study. BMC Cardiovascular Disorders . https://doi.org/10.1186/s12872-026-06839-w
Keywords: hypertension, uncontrolled blood pressure, Sri Lanka, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, multicenter study, cardiovascular risk, age standardization, WHO World Standard Population, older adults, specialist medical clinics, low- and middle-income countries, poverty line, analysis of variance, blood pressure control, consultant physicians, epidemiology
News Source: Ophelia Keating. (November 12, 2026). Over Half of Treated Sri Lankan Hypertensive Patients Have Uncontrolled Blood Pressure. Scienmag.
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