Some patients at risk of heart disease may benefit from testing for C-reactive protein, experts say.

We already know that elevated C-reactive protein (CRP) levels are an independent risk factor for heart disease. For CRP is a measure of inflammation in the coronary arteries. But should physicians be testing routinely for CRP, as they do for cholesterol and blood pressure? No, says a panel of experts drawn from the American Heart Association and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

But certain people at risk of heart disease might benefit from CRP testing, the experts add. Specifically, those at intermediate risk - with a 10 to 20 per cent chance of heart attack in the next ten years - might have something to gain from knowing their CRP levels. Those with a value of more than 3.0 milligrams per liter have a two fold increased risk compared to those with less than 1.0 milligrams per liter. This could tip the balance between the doctor recommending moderate or more intensive prevention or treatment measures in a patient.

Source

Circulation 28th January 2003