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According to the findings of a new study
presented at the meeting of the American Heart Association in New Orleans, a
simple blood test can help asses one’s risk of heart disease. Based on
determining the level of a specific protein called CRP, the test could indicate
a risk of heart disease or stroke even among those who appear to be in good
health because they have low or normal cholesterol levels.
If your high sensitivity CRP is high, you
should use statin therapy regardless of your cholesterol level, the researchers
at Texas Heart Institute in Houston
said. CRP is a phase protein produced by the liver and by the adipocytes.
Elevated levels of the protein may indicate an inflammation that can be
associated with an increased risk of heart disease.
The study showed that for those with
elevated high-sensitivity C-reactive protein levels, statins could reduce their
risk of heart disease.
“This blood test can act as a tie-breaker
in making treatment decisions,” Dr. Anthony Steimle, chief of cardiology at
Kaiser Permanente's Santa Clara
Medical Center,
said. “It would be particularly beneficial for patients that are at
intermediate risk for coronary artery events, for somebody with risk factors
but not enough to absolutely need medication.”
The blood test, known as CPR, costs about
$20.
Health disease is the leading cause of
death in the United States.
Paul Ridker, the lead investigator from Harvard
Medical School
in Boston said
that half of heart attacks and strokes happen among apparently healthy men and
women with normal or low levels of cholesterol. Doctors may prescribe statins
for seemingly healthy people if they have other factors that put them at risk
of heart disease.
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