CRP, cholesterol, and heart disease

CRP and inflammation

CRP (C-reactive protein) is a protein that your body makes when there is inflammation. It's also called a marker of inflammation or an inflammatory marker. Inflammation is your body's way of responding to an injury or infection. Smoking, high blood pressure, and high blood sugar can also lead to inflammation.

Inflammation has an important role in the body because it helps the body heal wounds and fight infections. However, it is possible to have "too much of a good thing." Too much inflammation has been linked to cardiovascular diseases such as heart attack, stroke, and coronary artery disease (heart disease affecting the blood vessels that supply the heart).

Inflammation and heart disease

Inflammation plays an important role in heart disease. Heart disease occurs when plaques (hard deposits made of cholesterol and other substances) build up on the blood vessel walls. The plaques can narrow the blood vessel walls, making it harder for blood to flow through. They can also rupture (break off), leading to blood clots that can block the vessels, which could cause a heart attack (if a blood vessel in the heart is blocked) or stroke (if a vessel in the brain is blocked). Inflammation encourages plaques to form and also makes them more likely to rupture.

CRP and heart disease

CRP is often used as a short form for hsCRP, which stands for high-sensitivity C-reactive protein – hsCRP uses highly sensitive tests to measure CRP in the body. High hsCRP levels are linked to an increased risk of developing heart disease.

People who are otherwise healthy but have high CRP levels may be more likely than those with low CRP levels to develop heart disease and its complications, such as heart attacks, strokes, sudden cardiac death, and peripheral arterial disease (hardening of the arteries in the legs, which causes leg cramps and poor circulation in the legs and feet).

In many cases, heart attacks and strokes affect people who seem healthy and have normal or low cholesterol levels. Some of these people may be identified through CRP testing so that they can reduce their heart disease risk before they have a heart attack or stroke.

Ask your doctor if you should have your cholesterol and/or CRP levels tested.

All material copyright MediResource Inc. 1996 – 2024. Terms and conditions of use. The contents herein are for informational purposes only. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Source: www.medbroadcast.com/healthfeature/gethealthfeature/CRP-cholesterol-and-heart-disease

CRP and LDL cholesterol (the "bad" cholesterol that clogs your arteries) levels have a few things in common:

• both can be measured with a simple blood test
• both are markers that can predict the increased risk of developing heart disease
• both can benefit cardiovascular health if their levels are lowered
• both can be lowered through healthy lifestyle changes such as losing weight, quitting smoking, eating a healthy diet, exercising, keeping blood pressure under control, and by certain medications

However, there are some important differences:

You cannot predict your CRP level based on your cholesterol levels, and vice versa. For example, someone with a low cholesterol level may still have a high CRP level. And someone with a low CRP level may still have high cholesterol.

CRP and LDL-C play independent and additive roles in your heart disease risk. "Independent" means that each one contributes separately to your risk. "Additive" means that if both CRP and LDL-C are high, your total risk will be equal to your risk predicted by CRP plus your risk predicted by LDL-C.

In many cases, heart attacks and strokes affect people who seem healthy and have normal cholesterol levels. CRP testing offers a way to identify some of these individuals so that they can reduce their heart disease risk before they have a heart attack or stroke.

That's why your doctor may recommend testing for both CRP and cholesterol levels. Ask your doctor if you should have your cholesterol or CRP levels tested.

All material copyright MediResource Inc. 1996 – 2024. Terms and conditions of use. The contents herein are for informational purposes only. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Source: www.medbroadcast.com/healthfeature/gethealthfeature/CRP-cholesterol-and-heart-disease

What is CRP testing all about? Here are some answers to frequently asked questions.

What does the CRP test measure?

The CRP test measures the levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), a protein that your body makes when there is inflammation. Higher CRP levels are linked to an increased risk of developing heart disease and its complications, such as heart attacks, strokes, peripheral arterial disease (hardening of the arteries in the legs, which causes leg cramps and poor circulation in the legs and feet), and sudden cardiac death.

How are CRP levels tested?

CRP levels are measured with a simple blood test. The test is called hsCRP, which stands for high-sensitivity C-reactive protein. CRP is often used as a short form for hsCRP. The high-sensitivity test is needed to accurately measure CRP at the levels that are linked to heart disease. The hsCRP test can be done at any time of day.

What do CRP levels mean?

The higher your CRP level, the higher your risk of developing heart disease.

Very high CRP levels may be due to other causes, such as infections, autoimmune diseases (diseases where the immune system attacks the body's own tissues), and cancer. If your CRP test results are quite high (more than 10 mg/L), your doctor may recommend further testing to investigate the cause.

Your doctor will use your CRP test results, combined with other test results (such as cholesterol tests) and information from your medical history, to estimate your risk of developing heart disease and to recommend a treatment plan.

Should I be tested?

CRP testing can help identify people who are at risk for heart disease even though they appear healthy and have normal cholesterol levels. When used in combination with other testing, they can also help doctors get a clearer picture of a person's risk level. Knowing your cholesterol numbers and target levels is also important, so remember to get cholesterol testing done regularly.

Talk to your doctor about whether you should have your CRP levels tested.

All material copyright MediResource Inc. 1996 – 2024. Terms and conditions of use. The contents herein are for informational purposes only. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Source: www.medbroadcast.com/healthfeature/gethealthfeature/CRP-cholesterol-and-heart-disease

Your doctor is a valuable partner in the fight against heart disease. To get the most from your doctor's visit:

Be prepared for your doctor's questions

Before your visit, gather the details of your medical and family history and make a list of any medications you may be taking. This will help your doctor assess your heart disease risk and develop a treatment plan.

Bring a list of questions to ask

Before your visit, write down a list of questions to ask the doctor. Here are a few to get you started:

1. What is my risk of developing heart disease in the next 10 years?
2. What are my risk factors for heart disease and what can I do to change them?
3. Should I have my cholesterol levels checked?
4. What are my target cholesterol levels? The main target cholesterol levels to ask your doctor about is LDL-C ("bad" cholesterol). Your doctor can determine what that specific number should be for you. Your doctor may also recommend other cholesterol targets.
5. Should I have my CRP levels tested? (To learn more about CRP testing, read "What is the CRP test?" in this feature)
6. What does the latest research say about ways to lower CRP levels, cholesterol levels, and the risk of developing heart disease?
7. What lifestyle changes should I make?
8. Do I need to take any medications or change my medication regimen?

Take notes

Bring a pen and paper to take notes during your visit. You may want to bring a friend or family member to help you recall the information the doctor provided during your visit. If you are not sure about anything your doctor says, ask your doctor to explain it again (sometimes, explaining it in a different way can help).

Let's recap...

CRP, a marker of inflammation in the body, is a stronger predictor of heart disease risk than is LDL-C. CRP tests can help the doctor assess your risk of developing heart disease, but it's also important to continue getting your cholesterol tested. Your LDL-C level is also a predictor of heart disease, so knowing whether you are at your target levels can help you reduce your risk of developing heart disease. When it comes to CRP and LDL-C levels, the lower the better!

Cholesterol and CRP tests can help your doctor advise you on what you can do to lower your risk of developing heart disease. If you have had these tests, ask your doctor what the results mean and what you can do to reduce your levels.

Your doctor can recommend a treatment plan that you should stick with, including healthy lifestyle changes (with or without medications), to reduce your levels and your risk of developing heart disease.

All material copyright MediResource Inc. 1996 – 2024. Terms and conditions of use. The contents herein are for informational purposes only. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Source: www.medbroadcast.com/healthfeature/gethealthfeature/CRP-cholesterol-and-heart-disease