CRP Tests: An Overview

A layman’s guide to better health:CRP is the ‘C-Reactive Protein’ which is produced by the liver & released in the blood to chase the goose down! It is basically a marker/ signal for the body which tells us that something, deep inside, has gone haywire!. CRP proteins help the fighter cells, like macrophages, to bind to the foreign antigens & also to the damaged cells, enabling them to eliminate the foreign antigens & damaged cells elegantly!Whenever such unwanted microbial/viral invasion occurs, these CRPs immediately jump to action, rapidly increasing their concentration in the blood stream. So, by measuring the CRP concentration, one can actually diagnose a security breach into the body at an early stage. These CRPs also help in phagocytosis (eating up!) of cancerous cells which are treated as “non-self” cells due to presence of some surface markers that are specific to tumors.Not Just some alien micro-invaders, there are many autoimmune diseases and other pathological conditions like arthritis, tissue injury, atherosclerosis & related cardiovascular diseases, Colon & lymph node cancer etc. which lead to a plumping rise in CRP levels. This striking increase in CRPs not only helps in putting up a fight against these disorders via inflammation but also facilitates the early detection of these monstrous disorders, even before their actual symptoms pop up!The other good thing about this rise is that CRP concentrations can easily be detected in a laboratory & nowadays, even individually at home using one of those strip-kits! This means that whenever you think that you are at risk to any of those problems which have multi-syllable names, a CRP test can easily confirm your suspicions. If the levels of the CRP are found to be high, certainly, there’s something wrong & probably, you are suffering from one of those maladies! Therefore, CRP level testing can be used as diagnostic marker/signal to help you & your physician take timely action before it’s too late to act.It has also been found that some patients with increased levels of CRP are the ones who already are at a high risk of diabetes, heart attack & hypertension. CRP testing is therefore recommended by many physicians and clinicians to assess the risk of various concerted pathological conditions in their patients. Since CRP levels drop as inflammation subsides, the test may also be performed at regular intervals to determine the effectiveness of any specific inflammation treatment.Several methods may be used for the analysis, including radioimmunoassay and agglutination employing antibodies specific for CRPs. These methods may take around 2 days for final results. However, there are some CRP testing kits which take less than five minutes to complete and the results are out instantaneously. These tests detect blood levels of C-reactive proteins which appear in the blood during inflammatory responses.CRP is quite sensitive marker for the diagnosis of various inflammatory responses & thus, CRP is an important marker for risk assessment in patients and should be monitored closely using CRP blood tests because some old, & apparently wise, guy said – Prevention is better than Cure & probably, it’s true!

CRP Tests: An Overview

A layman’s guide to better health:CRP is the ‘C-Reactive Protein’ which is produced by the liver & released in the blood to chase the goose down! It is basically a marker/ signal for the body which tells us that something, deep inside, has gone haywire!. CRP proteins help the fighter cells, like macrophages, to bind to the foreign antigens & also to the damaged cells, enabling them to eliminate the foreign antigens & damaged cells elegantly!Whenever such unwanted microbial/viral invasion occurs, these CRPs immediately jump to action, rapidly increasing their concentration in the blood stream. So, by measuring the CRP concentration, one can actually diagnose a security breach into the body at an early stage. These CRPs also help in phagocytosis (eating up!) of cancerous cells which are treated as “non-self” cells due to presence of some surface markers that are specific to tumors.Not Just some alien micro-invaders, there are many autoimmune diseases and other pathological conditions like arthritis, tissue injury, atherosclerosis & related cardiovascular diseases, Colon & lymph node cancer etc. which lead to a plumping rise in CRP levels. This striking increase in CRPs not only helps in putting up a fight against these disorders via inflammation but also facilitates the early detection of these monstrous disorders, even before their actual symptoms pop up!The other good thing about this rise is that CRP concentrations can easily be detected in a laboratory & nowadays, even individually at home using one of those strip-kits! This means that whenever you think that you are at risk to any of those problems which have multi-syllable names, a CRP test can easily confirm your suspicions. If the levels of the CRP are found to be high, certainly, there’s something wrong & probably, you are suffering from one of those maladies! Therefore, CRP level testing can be used as diagnostic marker/signal to help you & your physician take timely action before it’s too late to act.It has also been found that some patients with increased levels of CRP are the ones who already are at a high risk of diabetes, heart attack & hypertension. CRP testing is therefore recommended by many physicians and clinicians to assess the risk of various concerted pathological conditions in their patients. Since CRP levels drop as inflammation subsides, the test may also be performed at regular intervals to determine the effectiveness of any specific inflammation treatment.Several methods may be used for the analysis, including radioimmunoassay and agglutination employing antibodies specific for CRPs. These methods may take around 2 days for final results. However, there are some CRP testing kits which take less than five minutes to complete and the results are out instantaneously. These tests detect blood levels of C-reactive proteins which appear in the blood during inflammatory responses.CRP is quite sensitive marker for the diagnosis of various inflammatory responses & thus, CRP is an important marker for risk assessment in patients and should be monitored closely using CRP blood tests because some old, & apparently wise, guy said – Prevention is better than Cure & probably, it’s true!

CRP ,Inflammation

How testing can help you:C-reactive proteins are the major acute proteins produced by liver in response to tissue damage. Its name derives from its pattern recognition activity as they act as soluble receptors which can recognize receptor patterns on microbial surface and bind to these surfaces and promote their opsonization. Precisely, C-reactive proteins bind to the C-polysaccharide cell-wall components found on a variety of bacteria & fungi.The release of C-reactive proteins is a part of the complex cascade of events involving a variety of chemical mediators required to initiate the inflammatory response. So, high levels of CRP in the blood indicate inflammation somewhere in the body.Inflammation is the primary immunological response to tissue damage caused by a wound or by an invading pathological microbe. So, it acts as an important indicator of initiation and progression of many diseases. Some of the important scenarios where inflammation is used as a marker are:• In the detection of cardiovascular diseases• As a check for effectiveness of various anti-inflammatory treatments.• To help diagnose rheumatoid arthritis, this is characterized by high levels of CRP.• For early detection of various post-operative infections.CRP levels can increase many thousand-folds with inflammation which makes CRP a very sensitive marker for diagnosis and prognosis using minimal amount of sample (that’s your precious blood boy!). Conditions that commonly lead to huge changes in CRP include fever, injury infection, trauma, surgery, burns, inflammatory conditions, and advanced cancer. Moderate changes occur after strenuous exercise, heatstroke, and childbirth. Small changes occur after psychological stress and in several psychiatric illnesses. Pregnancy may also increase CRP levels.The most effective form of CRP tests available is High Sensitivity CRP tests (hs-CRP), which is optimized to detect CRP in healthy, asymptomatic individuals. This form can even detect low grade inflammation. Cardiologists use this test very often for risk assessment in individuals.Since major infections or illness can result in alarmingly high, but temporary, levels of CRP, repeated testing may be required if CRP level crosses 10 mg/L.CRP is therefore a test of value in medicine, reflecting the presence and intensity of inflammation, although an elevation in C-reactive protein is not the telltale diagnostic sign of any one condition because of the fact that inflammation in any part of the body will increase the CRP concentration in the blood stream. Other tests must be done in conjunction to find the root cause of inflammation. At last, to utter relief of some food lovers - unlike glucose test, you don’t need to fast before a CRP test because CRP levels are not affected by what you eat!

CRP ,Inflammation

How testing can help you:C-reactive proteins are the major acute proteins produced by liver in response to tissue damage. Its name derives from its pattern recognition activity as they act as soluble receptors which can recognize receptor patterns on microbial surface and bind to these surfaces and promote their opsonization. Precisely, C-reactive proteins bind to the C-polysaccharide cell-wall components found on a variety of bacteria & fungi.The release of C-reactive proteins is a part of the complex cascade of events involving a variety of chemical mediators required to initiate the inflammatory response. So, high levels of CRP in the blood indicate inflammation somewhere in the body.Inflammation is the primary immunological response to tissue damage caused by a wound or by an invading pathological microbe. So, it acts as an important indicator of initiation and progression of many diseases. Some of the important scenarios where inflammation is used as a marker are:• In the detection of cardiovascular diseases• As a check for effectiveness of various anti-inflammatory treatments.• To help diagnose rheumatoid arthritis, this is characterized by high levels of CRP.• For early detection of various post-operative infections.CRP levels can increase many thousand-folds with inflammation which makes CRP a very sensitive marker for diagnosis and prognosis using minimal amount of sample (that’s your precious blood boy!). Conditions that commonly lead to huge changes in CRP include fever, injury infection, trauma, surgery, burns, inflammatory conditions, and advanced cancer. Moderate changes occur after strenuous exercise, heatstroke, and childbirth. Small changes occur after psychological stress and in several psychiatric illnesses. Pregnancy may also increase CRP levels.The most effective form of CRP tests available is High Sensitivity CRP tests (hs-CRP), which is optimized to detect CRP in healthy, asymptomatic individuals. This form can even detect low grade inflammation. Cardiologists use this test very often for risk assessment in individuals.Since major infections or illness can result in alarmingly high, but temporary, levels of CRP, repeated testing may be required if CRP level crosses 10 mg/L.CRP is therefore a test of value in medicine, reflecting the presence and intensity of inflammation, although an elevation in C-reactive protein is not the telltale diagnostic sign of any one condition because of the fact that inflammation in any part of the body will increase the CRP concentration in the blood stream. Other tests must be done in conjunction to find the root cause of inflammation. At last, to utter relief of some food lovers - unlike glucose test, you don’t need to fast before a CRP test because CRP levels are not affected by what you eat!

CRP Tests: How Important?

How they are important for people with cardiovascular complications:C - reactive protein (CRP) is an inflammatory protein, produced in the liver, which is the secreted as a first line of defense against any bacterial infection or viral invasion. The levels of CRP have also been found to jump in patients with heart diseases. It has been shown that levels of CRP molecules associated with inflammation are as important as levels of cholesterol in determining the development of heart diseases.The heart disease most widely associated with CRP molecules is Atherosclerosis which leads to hardening and reduction in the diameter of the arteries. People with blood levels of CRP in the upper third of the population have almost double the risk of atherosclerosis & a “creepy” heart than the rest of the population. Atherosclerosis is an inflammatory disease and remains the number one killer in western developed societies and its incidence is also rapidly growing in developing countries.It has been demonstrated that whenever there is any tissue damage or an injury to the inner lining of the arteries, which might also be due to free radical oxidation, CRPs migrate to these areas and together with the Low Density Lipoproteins (LDL), form fatty/wax-like substance (plaques) on these injured sites.Over time, this narrowing prevents the blood from flowing properly through the arteries, giving rise to congestive heart failure, heart attack, or stroke. The CRP molecules also pump up the migration of White Blood Cells (WBCs) to these sites which break tiny portions of these plaques into the bloodstream. These small fragments of plaque can then be swept away to lodge in small blood vessels in the heart or brain, causing an increase in the frequency of heart attack or stroke.Since C-reactive protein is a gauge of inflammation, a CRP test that measures C-reactive protein is evidently, quite valuable. One such test is known as the high-sensitivity CRP assay (hs-CRP). Many doctors now believe that it is important to measure hs-CRP levels along with cholesterol to determine the risk of heart disease and to evaluate disease progression and prognosis in those who already have or at a higher risk of cardiovascular disease.The good news is that atherosclerosis is reversible and can be prevented. Recent reports have suggested that the patients who cease to smoke, adapt to strict vegetarian diet (no meat, eggs, or other animal foods except for non-fat milk), undergo regular physical activity, have adequate stress management, & regularly monitor themselves for CRP in blood, experience a significant reduction in the degree of hardening of their coronary vessels & redeem themselves of subsequent complications that might arise following atherosclerosis.Thus, CRP is an important marker for risk assessment in patients and should be monitored closely using CRP blood tests with the help of your doctor, because simply writing a prescription for Statins to address individual symptoms is a tunnel-vision treatment!

CRP Tests: How Important?

How they are important for people with cardiovascular complications:C - reactive protein (CRP) is an inflammatory protein, produced in the liver, which is the secreted as a first line of defense against any bacterial infection or viral invasion. The levels of CRP have also been found to jump in patients with heart diseases. It has been shown that levels of CRP molecules associated with inflammation are as important as levels of cholesterol in determining the development of heart diseases.The heart disease most widely associated with CRP molecules is Atherosclerosis which leads to hardening and reduction in the diameter of the arteries. People with blood levels of CRP in the upper third of the population have almost double the risk of atherosclerosis & a “creepy” heart than the rest of the population. Atherosclerosis is an inflammatory disease and remains the number one killer in western developed societies and its incidence is also rapidly growing in developing countries.It has been demonstrated that whenever there is any tissue damage or an injury to the inner lining of the arteries, which might also be due to free radical oxidation, CRPs migrate to these areas and together with the Low Density Lipoproteins (LDL), form fatty/wax-like substance (plaques) on these injured sites.Over time, this narrowing prevents the blood from flowing properly through the arteries, giving rise to congestive heart failure, heart attack, or stroke. The CRP molecules also pump up the migration of White Blood Cells (WBCs) to these sites which break tiny portions of these plaques into the bloodstream. These small fragments of plaque can then be swept away to lodge in small blood vessels in the heart or brain, causing an increase in the frequency of heart attack or stroke.Since C-reactive protein is a gauge of inflammation, a CRP test that measures C-reactive protein is evidently, quite valuable. One such test is known as the high-sensitivity CRP assay (hs-CRP). Many doctors now believe that it is important to measure hs-CRP levels along with cholesterol to determine the risk of heart disease and to evaluate disease progression and prognosis in those who already have or at a higher risk of cardiovascular disease.The good news is that atherosclerosis is reversible and can be prevented. Recent reports have suggested that the patients who cease to smoke, adapt to strict vegetarian diet (no meat, eggs, or other animal foods except for non-fat milk), undergo regular physical activity, have adequate stress management, & regularly monitor themselves for CRP in blood, experience a significant reduction in the degree of hardening of their coronary vessels & redeem themselves of subsequent complications that might arise following atherosclerosis.Thus, CRP is an important marker for risk assessment in patients and should be monitored closely using CRP blood tests with the help of your doctor, because simply writing a prescription for Statins to address individual symptoms is a tunnel-vision treatment!

MRSA Infections: Another Reason Antibiotics Aren’t the Solution for Acne

Parents across the nation are worried by the seemingly rampant reports of Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA) infections in schools across the nation. In recent weeks, a teenage boy has died and dozens of students have contracted the bacterial infection. Health experts say overuse of antibiotics has contributed to the rapid spread of MRSA, once a problem confined primarily to hospital settings. The public health concern of growing antimicrobial resistance is a prime reason 50% of dermatologists report cutting back on antibiotics to treat acne according to the Galderma Quality Report for Dermatology and Managed Care. On the surface, acne sufferers might feel frustrated, believing that their treatment options have narrowed. But holistic health experts say curbing the reliance on antibiotics is a step in the right direction for the millions of Americans who suffer from acne—and to the general public in light of the prevalence of drug resistant bacteria. Chris Gibson, a holistic health and lifestyle coach and author of the book, “Acne Free in 3 Days,” believes antibiotics are a problematic treatment choice for acne. He urges parents to be cautious when seeking an acne regimen that’s safe and effective for kids.“You have your family doctor saying we don’t want to over-prescribe antibiotics,” says Gibson. “Then you take your teenager to a dermatologist and typically one of the first options has been antibiotics. With the drug-resistant ‘super-bugs’ in the news, no wonder parents are anxious. Just look at the numbers involved. An estimated 80% of teens have some acne, so imagine the volume of antibiotics being consumed if only a fraction of these teens get prescriptions.”The growing problem of drug resistance isn’t the only drawback to antibiotics. Side effects are also a major concern. For example, antibiotics can upset the natural balance in your digestive track and stain your teeth.“I can speak from experience about the side effects,” says Gibson, who once suffered from chronic acne. “The digestive issues alone can create a major disruption to the balance of good bacteria in your body- the bacteria that your immune system needs to stay healthy.”Other medications such as Accutane have been the subject of lawsuits after being linked to heart, liver and bowel disease along with depression and suicide. Accutane, normally reserved as a drug of last resort for people with severe, cystic acne, is also known to cause birth defects. But many acne sufferers reach a point of desperation where they’d try just about anything to improve their skin.After battling acne for 15 years and spending exorbitant amounts of money on different over-the-counter products and drug treatments, Gibson was still disappointed with the results. That’s when he began researching and collaborating with his dermatologist to come up with an all natural plan that actually worked. He’s acne-free to this day.“When your skin has problems it means your system is taxed,” says Gibson. “That’s why you have to attack acne with a ‘big picture’ mentality and find the right balance for you. For people who’ve been suffering from acne for a long time, to see results in just three days is a mind-boggling experience.”Best of all, it’s an experience that doesn’t trade one set of health problems for another. Book Available At: www.acnefreein3days.com and for special order at any major bookstore.