Hypertension is diagnosed when blood pressure is consistently above which threshold?

• A. 120/80 mmHg.
• B. 130/80 mmHg.
• C. 140/90 mmHg.
• D. Hypertension is diagnosed when blood pressure consistently above 130/80 mmHg.

Answer: (D)

Hypertension is defined by a threshold where cardiovascular risk begins to rise, and current guidelines diagnose it when the average blood pressure is 130/80 mmHg or higher on repeated measurements. This means the diagnosis relies on persistent elevation, not a single high reading; it’s confirmed by multiple visits or an averaged set of readings. That’s why the statement about consistently being above 130/80 mmHg is the best answer. A reading of 120/80 is normal, 140/90 reflects older thresholds, and simply citing 130/80 without the persistence requirement could be misleading.