C- Reactive Protein (Cardiac) (cCRP)

 cCRP is used as an aid in the identification of individuals at risk for future cardiovascular disease. When used in conjunction with traditional clinical laboratory evaluation of acute coronary syndromes, cCRP may be useful as an independent marker of prognosis for recurrent events in patients with stable coronary disease or acute coronary syndrome.

Standard CRP tells you if there is inflammation or infection somewhere in the body but not where. It measures a protein created by the liver in response to acute or chronic inflammation. It is non-predictive of cardiovascular disease  (CVD) risk. The more sensitive cCRP is more specific to vascular inflammation, which is the leading cause of CVD.

What is CCRP?

The Comprehensive Clinical Risk Profile (CCRP) test calculates a person's blood level of cardiac C-Reactive Protein (CRP). It has been demonstrated that the body's inflammatory marker CRP can predict the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). To determine a person's overall risk of having CVD, the CCRP test adds this measurement to other variables like age, gender, blood pressure, smoking status, cholesterol levels, and family history of CVD.

A high level of CRP in the CCRP test shows inflammation in the body as a risk factor for CVD. People who have high levels of CRP in their CCRP test are thought to be at an increased risk of CVD and may need early intervention or lifestyle adjustments to lower that risk. A person is thought to have a lower chance of CVD if their CRP level is low in the CCRP test, indicating minor inflammation in the body.

What are the Consequences of High CCRP?

A high CCRP score can have major repercussions. People who have high levels of CRP in their CCRP test are more likely to develop CVD and are more likely to encounter symptoms like chest discomfort, heart attacks, or stroke. This may result in a lower standard of living and a higher risk of passing away.

People with a high CCRP score may need to adjust their lifestyles to lower their risk of CVD by stopping smoking, managing their blood pressure and cholesterol levels, and engaging in more physical exercise. Patients may occasionally need to take drugs like statins to lower their cholesterol levels. Anti-inflammatory medications may also be prescribed to lower the body's level of inflammation.

It is significant to remember that additional factors, like infections, trauma, and chronic conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, can affect CRP levels. Therefore, a high CRP reading on the CCRP test does not guarantee that a person will develop CVD, but it does suggest a higher risk.

Do not get the test done if you are going through an infection since this may affect the test result.

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