Blood tests
General heart health FAQs
View our short videos designed specifically to answer all your questions about heart health, including tests available at London Heart.
Blood tests can give us important information about how well your body is functioning. They can help us determine your risk factors and diagnosis, monitor your condition and guide your treatment plan.
Read on to learn more about blood tests, what they involve and how they can relate to heart conditions.
What is a blood test?
A blood test is when a healthcare professional collects a sample of your blood and sends it to a laboratory for testing.
Blood tests are commonly requested to assess your general health and check how well your organs, such as your kidneys or liver, are functioning. They can also check for abnormalities like infection, inflammation or certain genetic conditions.
The results of your blood tests, as well as the findings from your consultation, can give your doctor a better understanding of your health concerns.
Blood tests for heart disease
If your doctor thinks you may have a heart condition, you might need blood tests to assess your general health. You might also have cardiac-specific blood tests, also known as cardiac biomarker tests. These are specialised blood tests which check your heart’s health and how well it’s working. Blood tests can also help us identify any potential risks factors and monitor, treat or prevent certain heart diseases.
They can include:
- Troponin levels: troponin is a protein that is released into your blood when there is damage to your heart muscles. If the troponin levels are high on your blood test, it can indicate a heart attack or another cardiac problem, such as inflammation of the heart muscle or lining. This test may be requested if you have symptoms like chest pain or discomfort.
- Creatine Kinase (CK): CK is an enzyme that is found in the heart muscles and other muscles in the body. If this is raised, it can indicate damage to your heart muscle.
- B-type Natriuretic Peptide (BNP): this is a substance found in your heart tissue. It increases when the heart is strained or overworked, and can be elevated in conditions such as heart failure. It can also guide your response to medications for heart failure.
- Lipid profile: This shows the amount of good and bad cholesterol in your blood. These fats contribute to the build-up of plaque in your arteries, which can affect your blood flow. High cholesterol levels can increase your risk of heart disease, especially a heart attack.
- Advanced lipid profile: These are additional risk markers which provide a more detailed assessment of your risk for coronary artery disease. These can also be useful if there is a strong family history of heart attacks at a young age.
- Haemoglobin A1c: this test assesses your long-term blood sugar control. It checks if you have diabetes, which is a risk factor for heart disease.
- Clotting screen: this measures how well your blood clots. It may be requested if you take blood thinning medication like warfarin.
- Other blood tests include inflammatory markers, a full blood count to look for infection or anaemia (low blood level), or tests for kidney, thyroid, or liver function, to show how well these organs are working.
What to expect
At London Heart Clinic, our specialist cardiologist will speak to you about your concerns, symptoms, family history and medical history. You may also need a physical examination. We may recommend blood tests and other cardiac diagnostic, heart screening or monitoring tests based on your consultation. Collectively, this will help us determine your diagnosis and develop your personalised treatment plan.
Our expert team can do your blood tests at our clinic and guide you through the process. If you have any concerns or questions, we are here to support you.
Before
Before the test, we may give you instructions to help you prepare. This will depend on the types of blood tests you need and can include fasting or adjusting your medication.
During
At first, a tourniquet, a tight band, is tied around your arm to help us see your veins clearly. The skin around your veins may be cleaned with an antiseptic wipe. We will then use a small needle to collect a sample of your blood, usually from one of these veins in your arm. This needle will be connected to a special container or syringe to collect the blood. It usually only takes a few minutes.
The process is quick and usually it is not painful. However, you may feel a sharp scratch when the needle is inserted into your skin.
After
After the test, you will be asked to apply pressure to the area where the needle was inserted with a piece of cottonwool. This is usually only for a few minutes to make sure your vein stops bleeding. If needed, we can cover the area with a plaster. Most people feel well enough to resume their daily activities almost immediately, but some people might need to recover for a bit longer.
Your results may be ready on the same day, or they may take a few days depending on the test.
Safety and side effects
Blood tests are generally safe and normally only a small amount of blood is collected. Some people may feel dizzy or faint during or after the test. This is slightly more likely if you are dehydrated, so drinking water before your test may help.
You may develop a small bruise or swelling in the area. This is usually harmless and should get better after a few days.
If you don’t like needles or if you have any other concerns, our team is here to help you and make sure you feel comfortable.
Benefits
Blood tests for heart disease can be recommended for several reasons. These include early detection and diagnosis of heart problems so we can treat you quickly, reducing your risk of possible complications. We will also need to monitor how effective any treatments are, if you have already been diagnosed with a condition.
Testing can also help us identity possible factors that could increase your risk of some conditions. Knowing about your risk and current health will also help our expert cardiologist develop a personalised treatment plan, targeting these risk factors.
Book an appointment
Blood tests are a fundamental part of providing comprehensive care. At London Heart Clinic, our expert team will guide you through the process of having these tests to help us diagnose your heart problem. If you have any concerns about your heart health or if you have cardiac symptoms, we are here to help you.
Book an appointment today.
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What our patients say
After suffering from a heart condition for a number of years I was very happy to meet Dr Ahsan, from the first consultation where he believed there was a solution I have now completed the surgery and had my final consultation with him today…
I am very grateful to have Dr Syed Ahsan as my consultant. Dr Ahsan always greets you warmly on each visit despite his busy workload. Dr Ahsan explains everything clearly and helps you to understand even the most complex medical terms…