Table 9. Evaluation of hypertensive patients: laboratory tests.

Laboratory tests
Routine tests
Hemoglobin and hematocrit
Serum creatinine with estimated creatinine clearance (Cockroft-Gault formula) or glomerular filtration rate (Modification of Diet in Renal Disease formula)
Serum sodium, potassium and calcium
Fasting glucose and glycated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c)
Total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol and triglycerides
Serum uric acid
Urinalysis
Electrocardiogram
Chest X-ray
Recommended tests
High-sensitivity C-reactive protein
Quantitative microalbuminuria/proteinuria
Fundoscopy or fundus camera
Echocardiography
Carotid ultrasound
Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring
Ankle-brachial index
Pulse wave velocity
Extended evaluations (domain of the specialist)
Further investigations for cerebral, cardiac, renal and vascular damage: mandatory for complicated hypertension
Search for secondary hypertension when suggested by history, physical examination or routine tests: measurement of renin, aldosterone, thyroid-stimulating hormone, corticosteroids, catecholamines in plasma and/or urine; angiographies; renal and adrenal ultrasound; computed tomography; magnetic resonance imaging

HDL, high-density lipoprotein; LDL, low-density lipoprotein.