How does one typically diagnose hypertension?

Diagnosing hypertension primarily involves measuring blood pressure. This is done using a sphygmomanometer to obtain readings that indicate whether a person's blood pressure falls within a normal range, or if it is elevated (hypertension). Blood pressure measurements are typically taken at multiple visits to ensure accuracy, as factors such as stress, time of day, and recent activity can affect the readings.

While blood tests, urinalysis, and physical examinations can provide useful information about an individual's overall health and assist in ruling out secondary causes of hypertension or damage caused by hypertension, they are not diagnostic tools for hypertension itself. Blood tests may help identify conditions that could contribute to high blood pressure, such as kidney disease, and urinalysis might reveal protein or other abnormalities, but these do not directly measure blood pressure. Consequently, the most direct and standard method of diagnosing hypertension is through blood pressure measurement.