Is hs-CRP specific for predicting heart disease? Since CRP is a marker of inflammation, its elevation may reflect a low level of inflammation that may manifest in the future in different ways. Most studies to date have focused on heart disease, but new research shows that having CRP in the high normal range may also be associated with other diseases such as colon cancer, complications of diabetes, and obesity.

What’s the role of hs-CRP in predicting new cardiovascular events? Scientific studies have found that the higher the hs-CRP levels, the higher the risk of having a heart attack. In fact, the risk for heart attack in people in the upper third of hs-CRP levels has been determined to be twice that of those whose hs-CRP level is in the lower third. These prospective studies include men, women and the elderly. Studies have also found an association between sudden cardiac death, peripheral arterial disease and hs-CRP. However not all of the established cardiovascular risk factors were controlled for when the association was examined. The true independent association between hs-CRP and new cardiovascular events hasn’t yet been established.

How is CRP Measured? CRP is measured with a simple blood test, which can be done at the same time your cholesterol is checked. One such test is the highly-sensitivity C-reactive protein (HS-CRP, also called ultra-sensitive CRP or US-CRP) test.

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