How to screen and diagnose hypertension.

The measurement of blood pressure remains the cornerstone for diagnosing and managing individuals with hypertension. Today, there is international consensus on the optimal technology and methodology for reliable evaluation of blood pressure. Automated oscillometric upper-arm cuff blood pressure devices which have been properly validated are recommended for all measurement methods. Office blood pressure measurement remains an essential method, yet as much as possible, treatment decisions should be primarily based on out-of-office blood pressure monitoring at home or with 24-h ambulatory monitoring. It is important that established protocols are applied to standardize each of these methods in clinical practice, to exhaust their potential in diagnosing hypertension and guiding treatment-induced blood pressure decline. Despite the wide use of blood pressure measurement methods for too long time, there are still research questions regarding their optimal clinical implementation, which need to be addressed in future studies.