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Chronic diseases including cardiovascular disease and cancer are the leading causes of disability and death in Canada.1,2 The majority of chronic diseases are caused by physical inactivity, tobacco use, excess alcohol consumption and unhealthy diet.3-6 In particular, unhealthy diet is the leading risk factor for death and disability in Canada resulting in an estimated 64,000 deaths and over 1 million years of disability (DALYs) in 2010 alone.7 Worldwide, a staggering 11 million deaths and over 200 million DALYs were attributed to unhealthy eating in 2010.

The diagnosis of hypertension is fundamental to the practice of medicine. Increased blood pressure (BP) is the second leading global risk factor for death and disability (behind unhealthy diets), accounting for 18% of global deaths (>9 million deaths per year).1 Contemporary guidelines recommend assessing BP at every care visit; thus, BP measurement is probably the most commonly performed diagnostic maneuver in medicine.2 Importantly, evolving technology is making the diagnosis of hypertension more accurate, reliable, and rapid.