Can Blood Tests Detect High Blood Pressure?

Blood tests can’t detect high blood pressure, but they can help us to identify some of the causes of high blood pressure. Blood pressure checks and blood tests can both play key roles in your cardiac screening.

How is Blood Pressure Checked?

Blood pressure tests are one of the simplest and most frequently performed medical checks. You might have your blood pressure checked during a routine visit to your GP or as part of your health screening.

Having a blood pressure check is very easy and it will only take a few minutes:

• You’ll be asked to sit down and remove any bulky clothing from your arm
• An inflatable blood pressure cuff will be placed around your upper arm
• The cuff will be gradually inflated and then deflated
• A dial attached to the cuff will show the blood pressure in your arm
• Blood pressure results are given as too readings, the higher one as your heart is pumping and the lower one in between heartbeats

It is a quick and painless test, although it can feel a bit uncomfortable when the cuff is inflated. The test may be repeated on both arms to check for any differences in blood pressure.

Why Do We Check Your Blood Pressure?

It’s important to know if your blood pressure is within the normal range. If your blood pressure is too high it can be a sign that you are at risk of cardiovascular disease, kidney problems and other serious issues. Low blood pressure is less common, but it can sometimes be associated with thyroid conditions or other health issues.

Measuring your blood pressure can tell us if there’s a problem, but it can’t identify the cause. In order to find out why you have high (or low) blood pressure, your doctor will probably need to perform some additional investigations. Some of the most common tests for diagnosing high blood pressure are blood tests.

What Can Blood Tests Tell Us About Blood Pressure?

Various tests can be run on your blood to find out why you have high blood pressure. We can check the levels of certain fats, proteins, sugars and minerals in your blood. The results can tell us if you have any of the following issues that could be the causes or effects of your high blood pressure:

• High cholesterol
• High sodium or potassium levels
• Kidney damage or disease (based on your creatinine levels)
• Issues with your adrenal glands

The results can help us to diagnose any underlying conditions that need to be treated. We can also use them to work out the best approach to get your blood pressure back to normal. Your doctor will usually recommend some lifestyle changes, which can bring down your cholesterol and sodium levels. You might also need medication to help control your blood pressure.