High Blood Pressure - Exams and Tests

High Blood Pressure: Checking Your Blood Pressure at Home.

Other tests

Besides taking your blood pressure, your doctor will do a physical exam and medical history. Your doctor may also have you get other tests to find out whether high blood pressure has damaged any organs or caused other problems. These tests may include:

• Urine tests to check for kidney or liver disease.
• Blood tests to check your levels of potassium, sodium, and cholesterol.
• A blood glucose test to check for diabetes.
• Tests to measure kidney function.
• An electrocardiogram (EKG, ECG) to find out whether there is any damage to the heart.

Your doctor may also check your risk of coronary artery disease.

Sometimes doctors automatically schedule routine tests because they think that's what patients expect. But experts say that routine heart tests can be a waste of time and money. For more information, see Heart Tests: When Do You Need Them?