Laboratory and Other Tests
If a physical examination indicates hypertension, additional tests may help determine whether it is secondary hypertension or essential hypertension (no other disorder is present) and whether organ damage is present. They include the following:
- Blood tests and a urinalysis. (Performed to check for a number of factors, including potassium levels, cholesterol, blood sugar, infection, kidney function, and other possible problems. Measuring blood levels of the protein creatinine, for example, is important for all hypertensive patients in order to determine kidney damage. Higher concentrations may also be an indicator of heart disease.)
- An electrocardiogram (ECG).
 | Click the icon to see an image of an electrocardiogram. |
- An exercise stress test. This could be important for those with borderline hypertension. Stress-induced blood pressure in such patients has been associated with a risk for left ventricular hypertrophy, a serious complication in which the muscles on the left side of the heart become enlarged. Studies also suggest that an excessive rise in systolic pressure during exercise indicates a risk for coronary artery disease, and stroke.
 | Click the icon to see an image of blood pressure tests. |
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