Exactly which tests to order when evaluating high blood pressure has been a matter of quite a bit discussion. It’s probable that no two health care providers would order the exact same tests on a single patient, and that no one health care provider would order the same tests on two different patients. This is because both patients and providers are individuals. The approach that your provider uses to evaluate your high blood pressure will be based on a combination of your specific history, signs and symptoms, and your health care provider’s prior experience with patients like you.

1. To screen for causes of hypertension, using simple, less expensive tests that may indicate whether or not more complex tests are required
2. To look for damage to organs, such as the kidney or heart, as a result of untreated hypertension
3. To establish baselines, or reference points, to help gauge the affect of high blood pressure medications on the body
4. To assess other factors which, in combination with hypertension, place the patient at a higher risk for a heart attack or stroke