Final answer:
A patient with proteinuria and blood pressure consistently at or above 140/90 mm Hg is diagnosed with hypertension, a condition that can lead to kidney damage and cardiovascular diseases.
Step-by-step explanation:
A patient with proteinuria and chronically elevated blood pressure measurements of 140/90 mm Hg or greater on two occasions at least 6 hours apart is considered to have hypertension. This definition aligns with the guidelines set by the American College of Cardiology and American Heart Association, which state that hypertension should be treated when blood pressure consistently exceeds 130/80 mm Hg. The presence of protein in urine—proteinuria—may indicate kidney damage, which is one of the complications of long-standing hypertension. Controlling high blood pressure is crucial to prevent further kidney damage and cardiovascular diseases such as heart attacks, strokes, and chronic kidney disease.