C-Reactive Protein, or CRP, is a substance produced by the liver in response to the presence of a serious infection or a chronic autoimmune process like Lupus or Rheumatoid Arthritis, existing somewhere in our body. It indicates our immune system has reacted/responded to that disease process. CRP is a fairly reliable indicator that within this individual’s body, some type of rapid cellular turnover is occurring. It doesn’t specify the location (site) of the inflammation; but that inflammation of some type is present.
Moving on to hsCRP, or high sensitivity C-Reactive Protein, it also is produced in the liver, but its chemical makeup makes it a much more sensitive indicator of inflammation, and specifically, inflammation of the vascular system, and even more specifically the coronary arteries. That makes hsCRP a strong predictor of recurrent cardiovascular events. When a patient is discovered to have an elevated hsCRP, the test indicates the patient is in a higher risk cardiovascular disease category. That should raise a physician’s suspicions. Patients with an elevated hsCRP have a greater potential for heart attack, stroke, coronary disease, and any cardiovascular event.
Since inflammation is the substrate, or basis, from which arteriosclerosis develops, having knowledge of the presence of active inflammation, through the presence of an elevated hsCRP, this patient is observed and treated with that in mind. In this situation, a statin is prescribed even if the cholesterol is normal. These patients are at greater risk for coronary disease so they are followed closely and treated aggressively.
What should the doctor recommend if your hsCRP is abnormal? I can’t prove this, but if your hsCRP is abnormal, you probably have some degree of coronary artery disease. Recommendations for you are:
1. Weight loss
2. Low fat diet
3. Aggressive treatment of cholesterol, even if not abnormal, with higher potency statin
drugs.
4. Stop smoking
5. Control blood pressure
6. EKG
7. Statin drug—they work in the liver to suppress hsCRP and the inflammation it indicates. (I
am repititious for emphasis.)
Some docs say hsCRP should be tested in all patients and should be part of every patient’s annual blood work. Others say it should be done only on patients who are not ill. Still others say it should be done if you have a family history of coronary disease or a heart attack at a young age. I say if you want one, get it done. The presence of hsCRP gives your doctor advance notice of the potential for cardiovascular problems, and you and he/she should then do all you can to control this before serious problems develop.
Reference: Novak S. “This Biomarker May Be More Predictive of Cardiovascular Disease than Cholesterol.” Medscape 2026 January 30.
