Elevated CRP: What is it, Causes, Symptoms and Treatment

CRP is one of the parameters frequently seen in blood tests and is the short name for the type of protein called “C-reactive protein”.

CRP is one of the parameters frequently seen in blood tests and is the short name for the type of protein called “C-reactive protein”. The blood level of this protein, which is produced in the liver in response to inflammation occurring anywhere in the body, may be caused by various health problems, especially infectious diseases. Slight elevations in CRP levels can be considered normal as they may occur for simple reasons in some cases. However, in cases of severe CRP elevation or persistently high CRP levels, necessary investigations must be carried out to determine the underlying cause. It is not a specific test and may increase due to inflammation in any part of the body or in different parts. In patients whose disease is diagnosed and treated, CRP tests are often preferred to investigate the effectiveness of the treatment. In patients with elevated CRP levels in routine blood tests, the location and cause of inflammation should be investigated by using more advanced diagnostic methods, and the treatment plan should be shaped accordingly.

What is CRP High?

C-reactive protein, produced by the liver in response to inflammation in the body, is a blood parameter that can be used both to investigate the presence of inflammation in the body and to determine the degree of inflammation. High levels of CRP in the blood can be a sign of many diseases, from infection to inflammatory diseases and cancer. In a healthy person, the CRP level in the blood is expected to be in the range of 0-0.5 mg/dl. CRP, which is quite sensitive and sensitive, can increase at the slightest inflammation. Therefore, elevation of CRP is generally considered to indicate an important condition after 0.5 mg/dl. However, these values ​​should be evaluated by the physician, taking into account many factors such as the person’s age, weight, gender, health status, medications used and diseases he or she has. While evaluating the analysis results, the physician should be given detailed information about the medications used by the patient and the diseases he/she has. CRP tests do not provide information about the location and cause of inflammation. For this reason, it is generally investigated by the physician as a diagnostic supporting marker in case of suspicion of any disease. CRP testing is not affected by fasting or satiety and can be performed at any time of the day, regardless of fasting status. However, since it is usually performed together with some different blood tests that require fasting, it is beneficial to go for the blood test on an empty stomach.

What Does CRP High Reveal?

A high level of CRP is a sign of some health problems and is also among the causes of some important diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, hypertension, heart attack, stroke and obesity. For this reason, further research should be carried out to determine the cause of CRP that is found to be high. Since C-reactive protein is produced in the liver, disruptions in the production of the protein may occur in people with liver diseases. However, a slight increase in the CRP level in pregnant women can be considered normal. However, high CRP during pregnancy requires medical control and evaluation. Severe CRP levels may also bring risks such as premature birth or miscarriage. In individuals, high cholesterol and especially high LDL, known as bad cholesterol, also cause the CRP level to increase. In these people, both structural problems in the vessels and high CRP levels increase the risk of complications such as cardiovascular diseases, heart attack and stroke. Therefore, people who learn that their CRP level is high should consult their physician.

What are the symptoms of high CRP?

Elevated CRP does not cause any symptoms on its own. However, patients may develop various symptoms depending on health problems such as infectious diseases, inflammatory diseases, cancer, and cardiovascular diseases that trigger an increase in CRP levels. These symptoms may be exacerbated by increasing CRP levels, especially in the case of any infectious disease. There are no specific signs and symptoms of high CRP. However, symptoms that may occur in cases of elevated CRP due to reasons such as moderate and severe infections, chronic inflammations and poorly controlled autoimmune diseases include:

• high fever
• Pain
• Fatigue and fatigue easily
• Nausea and vomiting
• Loss of appetite and weight loss
• chills, shivering
• Indigestion, diarrhea or intestinal problems
• Sleeping disorders
• Cough

The most common cause in individuals with very high CRP levels is acute bacterial infections. In this case, complications such as high fever, sweating, tremors, fast heartbeats, nausea and vomiting, shortness of breath, loss of consciousness, rash and hives may also develop. Regardless of the severity of the symptoms, you should definitely consult a health institution and undergo medical check-up.

What Causes Elevated CRP?

Any disease that causes inflammation in the body can cause high CRP. The most common causes of elevated CRP are:

• infectious diseases
• Inflammatory bowel diseases (Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, etc.)
• COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease)
• Pneumonia
• Tuberculosis
• Meningitis
• Familial Mediterranean fever (FMF)
• Tissue and organ damage
• cancers
• Trauma, burns and injuries
• Rheumatoid arthritis and other rheumatic diseases
• Bone and joint inflammations
• Heart attack and cardiovascular diseases
• acute pancreatitis
• Kawasaki disease

Apart from the above situations, many different health problems can also cause high CRP. One of the issues that should be taken into consideration when evaluating CRP levels in the blood is the factors that affect the level of protein. Some drug treatments used in patients with cholesterol, such as statins and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, can lower CRP levels. In addition, CRP levels may remain high due to pregnancy, use of birth control pills or some chronic autoimmune diseases. It is very important to report such situations to the physician so that the test result can be interpreted correctly.

High CRP Treatment

Treatment of high CRP is one of the issues frequently wondered by patients. Treatment for high CRP does not require a treatment for high CRP, but a treatment for the health problem that causes the level of this protein to increase in the blood. Therefore, first of all, the exact reason causing this increase must be determined. Various methods such as additional blood tests, urine tests, medical imaging tests such as ultrasound, magnetic resonance, computerized tomography, endoscopy and biopsy may be used to diagnose the disease. CRP, which rises due to inflammation anywhere in the body, can begin to return to its normal level within 18-20 hours once the inflammatory factor is eliminated. This is useful for diagnosing the existence of a disease as well as investigating the effectiveness of treatment. For example, in antibiotic treatments for bacterial infections, which are among the most common causes of elevated CRP, the level of benefit from the treatment can be monitored by CRP tests performed at regular intervals. In addition to treatments for the underlying disease, precautions that can be taken by patients include:

• eating healthy,
• Avoiding unnecessary drug use,
• If you are overweight, lose weight in a healthy way under the supervision of a physician and dietitian,
• Be careful to exercise regularly,
• Consuming enough probiotic and high fiber foods,
• Implementing a low-fat and low-cholesterol diet plan for people with high cholesterol levels,
• Avoiding alcohol and smoking,
• This includes having routine health checks on time and regularly.

If you have recently had a blood test and noticed that your CRP level is high, it is very important to contact a healthcare provider and get information about the reasons for this situation. You can prevent serious diseases and live a healthier life by ensuring that your possible infectious diseases or other health problems are diagnosed and treated at an early stage.