Hypertension is defined as which blood pressure threshold?

• A. 120/80 and below
• B. 100/60 and above
• C. 130/85 and above
• D. 140/90 and above

Answer: (D)

Hypertension is defined by persistent elevations in blood pressure, using a fixed threshold. Under traditional guidelines, you diagnose hypertension when the systolic pressure is 140 mm Hg or higher or the diastolic pressure is 90 mm Hg or higher, based on measurements taken on separate occasions. That’s why this threshold is the correct one: if either component reaches or exceeds those levels, it meets the definition of hypertension and warrants further evaluation and management. It’s important to remember that a single high reading isn’t enough to label someone hypertensive, since blood pressure can rise temporarily from stress, activity, or other factors; clinicians usually confirm with multiple readings on different days or by using average readings from home or ambulatory monitoring. The other options reflect normal or non-hypertensive ranges, or newer, lower thresholds that categorize some cases differently under current guidelines but don’t match the traditional definition.