New study published in the journal Circulation has once again proven the significance of C-reactive Protein and heart attacks.

According to the study this novel blood test adds information to conventional risk assessment in defining an elderly person's risk of heart attack in the next 10 years.

Researchers found that an elevated level of C-reactive protein (CRP), a blood-marker for inflammation, is an independent risk factor for the development of heart disease in the elderly.

Mary Cushman M.D. the lead author of the study stated "an elevated level of C-reactive protein (CRP), a blood-marker for inflammation, is an independent risk factor for the development of heart disease in the elderly."

Cushman said this is the first long-term prospective study assessing CRP and heart attack risk in the elderly.

Elderly men and women who had elevated blood CRP had a 45 percent increase in their risk of developing coronary heart disease -- Mary Cushman M.D.

How the Study was Conducted

The study followed 3,971 men and women ages 65 or older who participated in the Cardiovascular Health Study.

Participants underwent baseline tests to determine blood CRP levels. Twenty-six percent had elevated levels, defined as values of

greater than 3 milligrams per liter (mg/L).

During 10 years of follow-up, 547 people had a heart attack or died from coronary heart disease.

"Elderly men and women who had elevated blood CRP had a 45 percent increase in their risk of developing coronary heart

disease," Cushman said.

Dr. Grisanti's Comment

According to this study, Dr. Cushman states that her 10 year research shows that the risk of having a heart attack increases with an elevated C-Reactive Protein over 3.0 regardless of the absence of other cardiac risk factors.

This indicates that C-reactive protein may indeed be more important than your level of cholesterol.

As I have been stating over the last year or so, cholesterol is NOT the villain that we all have been led to believe.

If you are serious about preventing the chance of having a heart attack or stroke, it is imperative that you ask your physician to order a C-Reactive protein.

Would Like To Have Your Blood Test Reviewed?

If you are interested in having a detailed report of your most recent blood test, then I would

encourage you to have me review your blood test. You will be glad you did.

Reference

Cushman M, Arnold AM, Psaty BM, Manolio TA, Kuller LH, Burke GL, Polak JF, Tracy RP. C-reactive protein and the 10-year incidence of coronary heart disease in older men and women: the cardiovascular health study.

Circulation. 2005 Jul 5;112(1):25-31. Epub 2005 Jun 27.