Diagnosis of hypertension — MCCQE Part 1 MCQ

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ModerateHypertensionDiagnosis of hypertensionMCCQE Part 1

A 52-year-old man has repeated office blood pressures around 146/92 mmHg, anxiety in clinic, no target-organ damage and low cardiovascular risk. Which of the following is the most appropriate next step?

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Correct answer: B — Confirm hypertension with validated out-of-office or automated office blood pressure measurement

Confirm hypertension with validated out-of-office or automated office blood pressure measurement is the single best answer because the age, timing, examination findings and investigations in the vignette fit Diagnosis of hypertension better than the alternatives. The most tempting distractor is less appropriate because it either treats a neighbouring presentation, delays a time-critical intervention, or ignores a key discriminator in the stem. The remaining options are suboptimal because they would miss the diagnosis, use an investigation or treatment in the wrong sequence, or fail to address safety and follow-up. Canadian practice should be anchored to Hypertension Canada 2025, with attention to acuity, safety-netting and local provincial pathways.

Reference: Hypertension Canada 2025