Elevated C-reactive protein

C-reactive protein (CRP) was discovered in the 1930s by scientists exploring the human inflammatory response. The role CRP plays in heart disease has only recently been discovered. It’s now believed that high CRP levels are associated with cardiovascular disease, stroke, coronary heart disease, peripheral arterial disease, and type 2 diabetes.

CRP is part of the immune system and is released into the blood when the body responds to injury or infection. Within 24 to 48 hours of an infection or trauma, CRP levels can increase 1000-fold.

The high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) screening measures CRP levels in the blood. In 2003, the American Heart Association and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced that CRP >3 mg/L indicates a high risk for cardiovascular disease, even if cholesterol levels are low.

hs-CRP Value Cardiovascular Disease Risk Level*

< 1 mg/L low risk 1-3 mg/L average risk > 3 mg/L high risk * Risk levels published in 2003. American Heart Association / Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Scientific Statement

Learn more about our screening for C-reactive protein.