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In patients already suffering from heart disease, doctors can use CRP levels to determine which patients are at high risk for recurring coronary events.
CRP is also known as C-Reactive Protein. It basically shows inflammation in the body. It can be high for a variety of reasons. A heart attack would have a CRP to be high. It can also be high due to an illness, or even a flare up in conditions such as lupus.
Normal CRP values vary from lab to lab. Generally, there is no CRP detectable in the blood.Your doctor may also use a highly sensitive test called hs-CRP to help determine your risk of Heart disease. According to the American Heart Association:You are at low risk of developing cardiovascular disease if your hs-CRP level is lower than 1.0mg/LYou are at average risk of developing cardiovascular disease if your levels are between 1.0 and 3.0 mg/LYou are at high risk for cardiovascular disease if your hs-CRP level is higher than 3.0 mg/LNote: Normal value ranges may vary slightly among different laboratories. Talk to your doctor about the meaning of your specific test results.
C-reactive protein levels of 1-3 mg per liter of blood indicates a moderate risk of heart disease. CRP levels above 3 mg per liter of blood indicates a high risk for heart disease.
In fact, the studies indicated CRP levels may be as important--if not more important--in predicting and preventing heart disease as cholesterol levels are.
This link provides an excellent answer, here is the text except that explains that.http://www.labtestsonline.org/understanding/analytes/crp/faq.html#2Common Questions ---- 1. What are chronic inflammatory diseases?2. What is the difference between regular CRP and hs-CRP tests?1. What are chronic inflammatory diseases? "Chronic inflammatory diseases" is a non-specific term used to characterize long-lasting or frequently recurring bouts of inflammation as associated with a more specific disease. This can be caused by a number of different pathological conditions such as arthritis, lupus, or inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn's disease).2. What is the difference between regular CRP and hs-CRP tests? Both tests measure the same molecule in the blood. The high sensitivity CRP (hs-CRP) test measures very small amounts of CRP in the blood and is ordered most frequently for seemingly healthy people to assess their potential risk for heart problems. It measures CRP in the range from 0.5 to 10 mg/L. The regular CRP test is ordered for patients at risk for infections or chronic inflammatory diseases (see Question #1). It measures CRP in the range from 10 to 1000 mg/L.
Yes it is.
C-Reactive Protein, QuantitativeC-reactive protein (CRP) is a protein your liver produces as part of your immune system response to injury or infection. It's also produced by muscle cells in the coronary arteries. CRP may be used to detect early postoperative wound infection and to follow therapeutic response to anti-inflammatory agents. CRP is a marker for inflammation somewhere in the body. However, CRP tests can't pinpoint where in the body inflammation may be occurring. Inflammation plays a central role in the process of atherosclerosis, in which fatty deposits clog your arteries. While measuring CRP alone won't tell your doctor your risk of heart disease, factoring in CRP test results with other blood tests results and risk factors for heart disease helps create an overall picture of your heart health. High levels of CRP in your blood may be associated with an increased risk of heart attack and sudden cardiac death. High levels of CRP appear to be less useful in predicting your risk of a stroke. The American Heart Association doesn't yet recommend CRP screening for the general public, only those at known risk of heart disease. Recent research indicates CRP testing isn't much better at predicting your heart disease risk than is assessing traditional risk factors, such as high cholesterol, obesity and smoking. Cholesterol-lowering statin medications may reduce CRP levels and decrease your cardiovascular risk.
C-Reactive Protein, QuantitativeC-reactive protein (CRP) is a protein your liver produces as part of your immune system response to injury or infection. It's also produced by muscle cells in the coronary arteries. CRP may be used to detect early postoperative wound infection and to follow therapeutic response to anti-inflammatory agents. CRP is a marker for inflammation somewhere in the body. However, CRP tests can't pinpoint where in the body inflammation may be occurring. Inflammation plays a central role in the process of atherosclerosis, in which fatty deposits clog your arteries. While measuring CRP alone won't tell your doctor your risk of Heart disease, factoring in CRP test results with other blood tests results and risk factors for heart disease helps create an overall picture of your heart health. High levels of CRP in your blood may be associated with an increased risk of heart attack and sudden cardiac death. High levels of CRP appear to be less useful in predicting your risk of a stroke. The American Heart Association doesn't yet recommend CRP screening for the general public, only those at known risk of heart disease. Recent research indicates CRP testing isn't much better at predicting your heart disease risk than is assessing traditional risk factors, such as high cholesterol, obesity and smoking. Cholesterol-lowering statin medications may reduce CRP levels and decrease your cardiovascular risk.
There is an association between elevated levels of inflammatory markers (including CRP) and the future development of heart disease.
The CRP blood test can help predict your risk for heart disease or stroke. It tests the liver enzymes that respond to inflammation. So arthritis, lupus, pnumonia, and other inflammatory diseases will produce a high CRP number.
CRP stands for C-reactive protein, and is an indicator of infection within the body. The purpose of this protein is to dilate or widen blood vessels so that more white blood cells can reach the site of infection in the body. A high CRP reading could be indicative of a heightened vulnerability to artery hardening, stroke and heart disease.