- Normal PCR value
- What is the ultra sensitive PCR exam
- What can be high PCR
- What to do when CRP is high
C-reactive protein, also known as CRP, is a protein present in the blood that has its concentrations elevated mainly in inflammatory or infectious processes, being normally one of the first indicators to be elevated in a blood test.
This protein is produced by the liver and can be used to assess the possibility of an infection, inflammatory processes and indicate the person's risk of developing cardiovascular disease. For this reason, the dosage of CRP is highly requested when appendicitis, atherosclerosis is suspected, viral or bacterial infections are suspected, for example.
This test does not indicate exactly what inflammation or infection the person has, but an increase in its values indicates that the body is fighting some aggressive agent, which is also reflected in the increase in leukocytes, which are the defense cells, whose concentration in the blood can be indicated on the blood count.
Normal PCR value
The reference value for CRP in both men and women is up to 3.0 mg / L or 0.3 mg / dL. Regarding cardiovascular risk, the values that indicate the chance of heart disease are:
- High risk: above 3.0 mg / L; Medium risk: between 1.0 and 3.0 mg / L; Low risk: less than 1.0 mg / L.
Thus, it is important that the CRP values are between 1 and 3 mg / L. Low values of C-reactive protein can also be observed in some situations, such as in people who had great weight loss, physical exercise, consumption of alcoholic beverages and use of some medications, being important that the doctor identifies the cause.
The interpretation of the result must be made by the doctor, because in order to reach the diagnostic conclusion, it is important that the exams are analyzed together, thus making it possible to identify the cause of the increase or decrease in CRP.
What is the ultra sensitive PCR exam
The examination of ultra sensitive CRP is requested by the doctor when he wants to assess the person's risk of cardiovascular problems, such as heart attack or stroke. In this case, the exam is requested when the person is healthy, without any apparent symptoms or infection. This test is more specific and can detect minimal amounts of CRP in the blood.
If the person is apparently healthy and has high levels of ultra sensitive CRP, he is at risk of developing peripheral arterial disease, or suffering a heart attack or stroke, so he must eat properly and exercise regularly. See 7 other tips to decrease the risk of cardiovascular disease.
What can be high PCR
High reactive C protein appears in most inflammatory and infectious processes in the human body, and can be related to several situations such as the presence of bacteria, cardiovascular diseases, rheumatism and even rejection of an organ transplant, for example.
In some cases, CRP values can indicate the severity of the inflammation or infection:
- Between 3.0 to 10.0 mg / L: usually indicate mild inflammation or mild infections such as gingivitis, flu or cold; Between 10.0 to 40.0 mg / L: it can be a sign of more serious infections and moderate infections, such as chicken pox or respiratory infection; More than 40 mg / L: usually indicates bacterial infection; More than 200 mg / L: may indicate septicemia, a serious condition that puts the person's life at risk.
The increase in this protein can also indicate chronic diseases and therefore the doctor should order other tests to try to find out what led to its increase in the bloodstream, since CRP is not able, alone, to determine the disease. Check out the main symptoms of an inflammation.
What to do when CRP is high
After confirming the high CRP values, the doctor should evaluate the result of the other tests ordered, as well as evaluate the patient, taking into account the symptoms presented. Thus, from the moment the cause is identified, treatment can be initiated in a more targeted and specific way.
When the patient has only a malaise without any other symptoms or specific risk factors, the doctor may order other tests, such as the measurement of tumor markers or computed tomography, for example, to check the chance of increased CRP be related to cancer.
When CRP values are above 200 mg / L and the diagnosis of infection is confirmed, it is usually indicated that the person is hospitalized to receive antibiotics through the vein. CRP values begin to rise 6 hours after the onset of infection and tend to decrease when antibiotics are started. If 2 days after the use of antibiotics the CRP values do not decrease, it is important that the doctor establishes another treatment strategy.
