Using C-reactive protein to assess cardiovascular disease risk.

C-reactive protein (CRP), a marker of inflammation, is directly involved in atherogenesis, and elevated CRP levels (as measured by highly sensitive assays) are associated with increased cardiovascular risk. We welcome the recent joint guidelines on CRP testing from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Heart Association; however, whereas the guidelines suggest measuring the CRP level only in patients at intermediate risk, we advocate measuring it as well in patients at high risk.