What To Do When Your CRP Is High

Now that you know your C-reactive protein (CRP) levels are high, there are two questions you should be asking. (Read here about when to have your CRP measured.) 

 

1) What are my other risk factors?

Elevated CRP levels are almost always associated with other risk factors for heart disease. These include smoking, obesity, sedentary lifestyle, increased cholesterol, hypertension and metabolic syndrome. One thing you know for sure is that, whatever you thought your cardiac risk was before the CRP was measured, now it's higher. So, whatever you and your doctor do try to reduce the CRP itself, clearly you need to take aggressive measures to get rid of the other risk factors.
 

2) How can I reduce my CRP level?

Several ways of reducing CRP have been identified.
Non-pharmacological methods of reducing CRP include aerobic exercise, smoking cessation, weight loss and diet. In one study, healthy adults eating either a standard low saturated fat diet or the same diet plus plant sterols, soy protein, and nuts both had reductions in CRP levels. However, those on the plant sterol diet had a greater reduction. In another study that enrolled severely obese patients, reductions in CRP were achieved with either a fat restricted or carbohydrate restricted diet; however, the low-carb diet seemed to be more effective in reducing CRP
Drug therapy can also reduce CRP. Statins reduce CRP levels significantly (13 to 50%,) according to several clinical trials. Lipitor (atorvastatin), Mevacor (lovastatin), Pravachol (pravastatin), Crestor (rosuvastatin) and Zocor (simvastatin) have all been proven to bring down CRP levels, and have shown evidence of reducing cardiac risk through CRP (as opposed to cholesterol) reduction. And recently, the JUPITER trial showed definitively that in patients with high CRP levels but "normal" cholesterol levels, Crestor significantly and substantially reduced cardiovascular risk.
While aspirin does not reduce CRP levels, patients with elevated CRP levels gain more risk-reduction benefit from aspirin than those with normal CRP levels. So elevated CRP levels may tip the scales in favor of prophylactic aspirin therapy for some.

The bottom line

It remains unknown whether CRP itself increases risk, or whether it merely reflects the vascular injury and inflammation that results from other risk factors. So if your CRP levels are elevated, you should definitely attempt to reduce all your cardiac risk factors by exercising, not smoking, losing weight, watching your diet, and controlling your blood pressure. (Read more here about reducing your cardiac risk.) However, it now appears clear that the use of statin drugs can substantially reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke in even healthy-appearing patients whose CRP levels are high. If you have high CRP levels, especially if you have one or more additional risk factors for heart disease, you should discuss the option of taking a statin drug with your doctor.
_Sources:
1. Cook NR, Buring JE, and Ridker PM. The effect of including C-reactive protein in cardiovascular risk prediction models for women. Ann Intern Med 2006; 145:21-29.
2. Lloyd-Jones DM, Liu K, Tian L, and Greenland P. Narrative review: Assessment of C-reactive protein in risk prediction for cardiovascular disease. Ann Intern Med 2006; 145:35-42.
3. Davey Smith G, Timpson N and Lawlor D. C-reactive protein and cardiovascular disease risk: Still an unknown quantity? Ann Intern Med 2006; 145:70-72.
4. Ridker PM, Danielson E, Fonseca FA et al. Rosuvastatin to prevent vascular events in men and women with elevated C-reactive protein. New Engl J Med 2008; DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa0807646. Available at: http://www.nejm.org.

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How to Prevent Heart Disease ???

Wouldn't you love to live for a hundred years? It really isn't hard if you stay heart-healthy. Here are some commonsense tips. 

 

Here's How:

1. You are what you eat! Eat nutritious, healthy food.
2. Choose foods low in saturated fat. Make sure you include servings of fruit, vegetables and whole grains which are rich in starch and fiber, but low in fat.
3. Cutting down on dietary cholesterol consumption can help bring down blood cholesterol. Egg white, and foods from plant sources do not have cholesterol.
4. Read food labels. Look for the amount of saturated fat, total fat, cholesterol and total calories per serving on the nutrition label.
5. Stress can be harmful by raising blood pressure, blood cholesterol, and making your heart beat faster. Relax, smile, don't get angry often.
6. Bring down high blood pressure. You can do this by minimizing risk factors, making lifestyle changes, or by taking medication if necessary.
7. Stop smoking. Stub out that cigarette butt - Now!
8. If you drink, do so in moderation. A limit of two drinks per day is good for your heart.
9. Fight the battle of the bulge! Obesity is bad. Stay slim and lean.
10. If you are overweight, try and lose the excess.
11. Don't try crash diets - instead opt for a slow, steady and sustained program to lose weight.
12. An active lifestyle is healthy. Exercise regularly.
13. Try and incorporate a higher activity level into daily activities like taking a walk, riding a bike to the supermarket, climbing stairs instead of using the elevator and playing sports like badminton and basketball.
    

Tips:

1. It's never too late to begin. Start right now!
2. Be consistent in your efforts. Exercise daily.
3. A little bit each day adds up to huge benefits. 

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