In patients with chronic hypertension, what blood pressure threshold does not apply for diagnosis?

The threshold of 140/90 mm Hg does not apply for the diagnosis of hypertension in patients with chronic hypertension. Current clinical guidelines define hypertension starting at 130/80 mm Hg for adults. This diagnostic criterion indicates that if a patient's blood pressure reaches at least this level, they may be diagnosed with hypertension.

In the context of diagnosing chronic hypertension, blood pressure readings of 120/80 mm Hg or lower are considered normal, meaning they do not indicate a diagnosis of hypertension. A reading of 150/100 mm Hg would classify as stage 2 hypertension, clearly indicating that it exceeds the diagnostic threshold. Therefore, a blood pressure reading at the 140/90 mm Hg level does not provide a clear diagnostic cut-off according to the most recent guidelines, making it an inappropriate threshold for determining a diagnosis of chronic hypertension.