The C-reactive protein test is a blood test that may help doctors determine your risk for heart attack and stroke. Blood levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) can help doctors decide if you need treatment and what you need to do to stay healthy.
CRP is a protein that increases in the blood when there's inflammation of blood vessels. Inflammation occurs when there has been an injury or the body is fighting an infection. The inflammatory process can help cause atherosclerosis, a build up of fatty deposits in the lining of arteries.
Who should have CRP testing?
If you are at low risk for heart attack, you don't need to have a CRP test. Nor do you need to have one if you are at known high risk for heart attack. If you are at high risk, you're probably already under treatment.
CRP testing might be most beneficial for people at intermediate risk. That means you have some risk factors for cardiovascular disease, such as borderline cholesterol levels along with a sedentary lifestyle or other risk factors include being overweight, smoking, having a strong family history and eating a high-fat diet.
Although high levels of CRP may help predict your overall risk of a heart attack, CRP is not a risk factor but a risk marker. Cholesterol, on the other hand, is a risk factor.
Knowing you have elevated CRP may help motivate you to make lifestyle changes to reduce your risk factors.
Heart attack warning signs
Some heart attacks are sudden and intense - the "movie heart attack," where no one doubts what's happening. But most heart attacks start slowly, with mild pain or discomfort. Often people affected aren't sure what's wrong and wait too long before getting help.
Here are some signs of a heart attack from the American Heart Association. If a loved one has any of these signs, call 9-1-1 right away:
- Chest discomfort. Most heart attacks involve discomfort in the center of the chest that lasts more than a few minutes, or that goes away and comes back. It can feel like uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain.
- Discomfort in other areas of the upper body. Symptoms can include pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach.
- Shortness of breath. This feeling often comes along with chest discomfort. But it can occur before the chest discomfort.
- Other signs. These may include breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea or lightheadedness
Stroke warning signs
Stroke is the third most common cause of death, after heart disease and cancer, and a leading cause of serious disability, according to the American Stroke Association.
- Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body.
- Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding.
- Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes.
- Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination.
- Sudden, severe headache with no known cause.
