Prevalence of hypertension and its associated risk factors during COVID-19 pandemic in the capital of Bangladesh

Hypertension (HTN) has emerged as a significant public health challenge and a leading cause of mortality and morbidity in developing countries like Bangladesh. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of hypertension and its associated risk factors among residents of Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, during the COVID-19 pandemic. A cross-sectional study was conducted using a multistage random sampling technique to select 305 individuals from Khilkhet Thana in Dhaka North City Corporation. Data were collected through direct surveys using a modified version of the WHO STEPS questionnaire and analyzed using SPSS version 22 software. The study identified a 34.4 % prevalence of HTN among the participants, with 46.2 % of hypertensive individuals being under 40 years of age. Of the 105 hypertensive individuals, 65 % were newly diagnosed during the study, and 11 previously diagnosed individuals were not on any medication. A significant association (P