Browsing by Author "Mendis, W.A.S."

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Compliance with antihypertensive medications and its associations and knowledge on Hypertension-Hospital based study in Sri Lanka
(Sri Lanka College of Internal Medicine, 2019) Medagedara, A.U.; Thampoe, R.S.; Batagoda, B.M.S.M.; Mendis, W.A.S.; Martin, V.T.; Mettananda, K.C.D.
BACKGROUND: Hypertension is the commonest preventable risk factor for the development of cardio and cerebrovascular disorders. Poor compliance with anti-hypertensive medications is an important yet often an under recognized risk factor for uncontrolled hypertension and rarely has this aspect been investigated thus far in Sri Lanka. OBJECTIVES: To determine the prevalence and associations of compliance with antihypertensive medications and the knowledge on hypertension among patients attending to medical clinics conducted by the Department of Medicine of the Faculty of Medicine, Ragama. METHODS: An interviewer-administered questionnaire and the patients' clinic records were utilized to collect data. Prevalence was assessed using SPSS 22 version. Associated factors were analyzed by binary logistic regression. RESULTS: Prevalence of medium and low compliance are 42.3% and 35.1% respectively. Factors significantly associated with poor compliance were not starting treatment at all due to the feeling that it's better not to start a treatment that they'll have to continue for the whole lifetime (p value 0.04), frequency at which medications have to be taken being too difficult to be followed (p value 0.00), finding it difficult to comprehend the instructions provided by the pharmacist (p value 0.00) and lack of knowledge on hypertension (p value 0.00). CONCLUSION: Compliance with antihypertensive medications can be enhanced by rectifying patients' misconceptions on hypertension.
Prevalence of irritable bowel syndrome in an urban adult Sri Lankan population
(Sri Lanka Medical Association, 2016) Rishikesavan, V.; de Silva, A.P.; Niriella, M.A.; Mendis, W.A.S.; Ruston, S.M.; Pathmeswaran, A.; de Silva, H.J.
INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: The community prevalence of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) globally varies from 10 to 25%. Telephone interviews have been widely used to collect data. There is limited data on community prevalence of IBS in South Asia. Objective of the study was to determine the community prevalence of IBS and its subtypes in an urban adult Sri Lankan population. METHOD: The study was conducted in the Ragama medical officer of health (MOH) area. Householders lists of 22 Grama Niladari divisions were used for balanced random sampling. Individuals aged between 18-65 years (stratified into three groups: 18-33, 34-49, 50-65) were included. A random sample of households was selected and the person who had the closest birthday was selected from each household. A telephone interview was conducted. IBS and its subtypes [constipation predominant (IBS-C), diarrhea predominant (IBS-D), mixed (IBS-M)] were defined according to Rome III criteria. RESULTS: 504/1407(35.8%) of selected households were contactable. Of 504 persons invited to participate 500(99.2%) responded [277-females, mean (SD) age: 42.37 (13.2) years]. The overall prevalence of IBS was 18/500 (3.6%) [13-males(5.83%), 5-females(1.81%); p=0.017]. There was significant difference in prevalence among age groups for males (least among 34-49 years; p=0.024) but not for females (p=0.665). Of the males with IBS, 2(15.38%), 5(38.46%) and 6(46.15%) had IBS-D, IBS-C and IBS-M, respectively. Of the females with IBS, 2 (40%), 1(20%) and 2(40%) had IBS-D, IBS-C and IBS-M, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Using accepted criteria, the overall community prevalence of IBS was low in this population, with a significant male predominance, and IBS-M being the commonest subtype.