Other Blood Pressure Tests
Depending on your health status, your doctor may order other blood tests. To take a blood sample from a vein on your forearm or hand, your doctor or nurse will follow these steps.
- Clean the skin over your vein with an antiseptic.
- Wrap a strong rubber tube, called a tourniquet, around your upper arm. Doing this enlarges the veins in your lower arm by restricting blood flow through them. Enlarged veins are easier to take blood from.
- Gently insert a small needle into your vein.
- Collect a small sample of your blood in a syringe or vial.
- Remove the tourniquet.
- Withdraw the needle.
- Cover the puncture site with a bandage and apply pressure to stop any bleeding.
Then your doctor may check your blood for any of the following:
- fasting triglycerides
- LDL cholesterol
- thyroid hormones
Your doctor may also want to conduct a more complete assessment of your heart anatomy and function with tests such as an echocardiogram or an exercise stress test.