Active protein C or CRP is a substance in the liver that is synthesized in response to inflammation.

High-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and ultra-sensitive C-reactive protein (us-CRP) are other names used for CRP.

High levels of CRP in the blood are a sign of inflammation. Elevated CRP levels can be caused by a wide range of diseases, from infections to cancer.

A high level of CRP can also indicate inflammation of the heart vessels which can mean a high risk of a heart attack.. However, the CRP test is a completely non-specific test and the CRP level can be elevated in any inflammatory condition.

What does a high level of CRP mean?

Cardiologists do not fully agree on the complications caused by increased CRP levels. Some of them believe that there is a correlation between increased CRP levels and an increased risk of heart attack or stroke.

Also read: Heart attack symptoms

The Medical Health Study found that in healthy adult men, those with high levels of CRP were three times more likely to have a heart attack than men with low levels of CRP. This study included men with no prior history of heart disease.

The Harvard Women's Health Study showed that an increase in CRP levels is more effective in predicting coronary artery disease and stroke in women than an increase in cholesterol.

High cholesterol is a risk factor that is usually elevated. Doctors may do this test along with other tests to assess a person's risk of heart disease or stroke. In addition, new research suggests that CRP can be used as a predictor of health outcomes related to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).. Doctors may also order a CRP test to diagnose inflammatory autoimmune diseases such as:

• Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)
• articular rheumatism
• Lupus

CRP and corona virus

For years, the CRP test was used to detect the infection of bacteria and various viruses.... With the emergence of the new corona virus, doctors use this test to check the level of corona infection in infected patients.. According to scientific findings, there is a direct relationship between the level of lung infection and the level of CRP.

To perform this test, a blood sample is taken from a patient and according to the three levels of 10 to 40 mg/liter, 40 to 80 grams and more than 80 mg/liter, the result of the test is announced... According to another research, values ​​of 20 to 50 mg/liter have been shown in corona patients.

Actually, high levels of protein C have been seen in 86% of corona patients. Also, according to the deterioration of the patient's condition, a direct relationship with the level of protein C was observed.

Of course, the very important and significant point is that the CRP test cannot definitively confirm that a patient is infected with the corona virus... because this test measures the level of inflammation and infection by any type of bacteria or virus can cause this effect.

Only PCR test is used for definitive and accurate diagnosis of corona virus....Corona antibody test only shows the past infection of the patient and The current status of corona infection cannot be measured by serology or antibody test.

CRPand heart disease

People with CRP greater than or equal to 2 milligrams per liter (mg/L) are likely to need more careful monitoring and treatment for heart disease, according to the American Heart Association's 2013 review of all risk factors.

High levels of CRP may play an important role in identifying people who need closer follow-up or more serious treatment after heart attacks or surgery.

In addition, CRP levels can be useful in identifying people at risk for heart disease when cholesterol levels alone are not helpful.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention considers these factors as potential risk factors for heart disease:

• Diabetes
• High blood pressure
• high cholesterol
• Smoking
• unhealthy diet
• Low physical activity
• Excessive consumption of alcohol
• Excess weight

Family history of heart disease also increases the risk of heart disease.

Testing Protein C How is it done?

The CRP test is done through a blood sample.

No special preparation is needed to perform this test.... You can eat as usual on the day of the test.

A nurse or intern draws blood from a vein, usually a vein in the elbow or the back of the hand:

First, they clean the skin of the vein with antiseptics....then they tie an elastic band around the arm, closing this band causes the veins to bulge....then the nurse inserts a small needle into the vein and collects the blood in a sterile vial.

After the blood sample is collected, they will untie the rubber band around the arm and ask you to apply pressure to the puncture site with gauze...they may use tape or a bandage to hold the gauze in place.

Are there any risks in doing the C test?

This is a routine test with little risk, but there is a small chance of the following complications following the blood draw:

• Excessive bleeding
• Dizziness or lightheadedness
• bruising or infection at the needle entry site

CRP testing, especially in combination with high cholesterol levels, can be useful in assessing a person's risk of heart disease.. The benefits of this test, especially in people who are at risk of heart disease or stroke and those recovering from heart surgery, outweigh the possible side effects.

What do CRP test results show?

Active protein C is measured as milligrams of CRP per liter of blood (mg/L). In general, a low level of active protein C is better than a high level because it indicates less inflammation in the body.

A reading of less than 1 mg/L indicates a low risk of cardiovascular disease. A reading between 1 and 2.9 mg/L means a moderate risk of developing the disease. A reading of more than 3 mg/L means a high risk of cardiovascular disease.

A reading above 10 mg/L can indicate the need for further testing to determine the cause of this significant inflammation in the body... Such a very high reading may indicate one of the following:

• Bone infection or osteomyelitis
• Exacerbation and recurrence of autoimmune arthritis
• IBD
• TB
• Lupus, connective tissue disease or other autoimmune diseases
• Cancer, especially lymphoma
• Pneumonia or other significant infections

Note that CRP levels may also be high in people taking birth control pills... However, other signs of inflammation are not necessarily abnormal in these people.

High levels of CRP in pregnancy can be a sign of complications, but more studies are needed to fully understand the role of CRP and pregnancy.

If you are pregnant or have a chronic infection or other inflammatory disease, a CRP test is unlikely to accurately assess your heart disease risk.

Before having a CRP test, check with your cardiologist for any medical conditions that may interfere with the test results.. Because there are other blood tests that can be done instead of this test, you may want to skip the CRP test.

Keep in mind that this test does not provide a complete picture of cardiovascular disease risk. When deciding which further tests are most effective, your doctor will also consider lifestyle risk factors, other illnesses, and a person's family history.

The cardiologist may also prescribe one of the following tests:

• Electrocardiogram (EKG)
• Echocardiogram
• Stress measurement
• CT scan of coronary arteries
• Heart Catheterization

What to do if CRP is high?

Decreasing CRP levels is not a guaranteed way to reduce the risk of cardiovascular or autoimmune diseases.

It is important to know that an elevated CRP level is what doctors refer to as a biomarker. A biomarker is a factor to consider when analyzing a person's health, but it is not an independent indicator for a specific diagnosis.

Research shows that a healthy eating pattern can be effective in reducing CRP levels. The Mediterranean diet has consistently been shown to lower CRP levels... If you are at risk for heart disease, eating a healthy diet should be part of your lifestyle.

If you are at risk for cardiovascular disease and your test results show high levels of CRP, your doctor may prescribe a statin or another cholesterol-lowering drug. Aspirin may also be recommended.

Vitamin C has also been investigated as a way to lower CRP levels in people who are at high risk of cardiovascular disease. Probiotics may also have a positive effect on reducing CRP.

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