70% of deaths in Sri Lanka caused by high blood pressure – Health officials

The Non-Communicable Disease Unit (NCD) of the Ministry of Health has revealed that high blood pressure is responsible for 70% of total deaths in Sri Lanka.

The Director of the NCD, Specialist Dr. Samiddhi Samarakoon, highlighted findings from a 2021 survey on non-communicable diseases. The survey showed that 34.8% of the population in the country is affected by high blood pressure.

Dr. Samarakoon also pointed out that 64% of people diagnosed with high blood pressure are not taking any medication to manage their condition. She explained that in the early stages, high blood pressure often doesn’t show any symptoms, and sometimes a stroke is the first sign. 

In some cases, it can lead to a heart attack. High blood pressure is also a major contributor to kidney disease, Dr. Samarakoon noted.

She further stated, “According to our data, about 70% of the deaths in the country are due to diseases caused by high blood pressure. We conduct a survey in Sri Lanka on non-communicable diseases every 5 years.”

“According to the 2021 data, 34.8% of the population suffers from high blood pressure. About 64% of these individuals do not use any medication for this condition. Only about 18% of them are aware that they have high blood pressure, which is a very dangerous situation. The number of newly diagnosed patients is 54.7%. However, only 14% of people who have been diagnosed with high blood pressure have it under control. This is a very alarming situation”, she added.

Specialist Dr. Samiddhi Samarakoon also shared her views on ways to protect against high blood pressure. She mentioned that, in addition to hospitals, there are smaller units called the Healthy Lifestyle Center (‘Suva Divi Clinic’), though these units have very few patients. 

Dr. Samarakoon emphasized the importance of measuring blood pressure at least once a year and pointed out that, for men, lifestyle factors such as smoking and drinking alcohol can have a very harmful effect on blood pressure. She also stressed that patients should engage in regular physical activity, as it is crucial for managing the condition.