C-Reactive Protein

The C-reactive protein (CRP) is an inflammatory marker used clinically to detect an inflammatory state as is present with atherosclerosis.

Elevated CRP levels in healthy individuals indicate an increased risk of myocardial infarction, ischemic stroke and peripheral arterial disease. Treatment is aimed at traditional risk factors, not necessarily to lower CRP levels.

The JUPITER trial randomized 17,802 low risk patients with normal low density lipoprotein (LDL) levels without known vascular disease or diabetes who had elevated CRP levels to either rosuvastatin 20 mg daily or placebo. The primary endpoint of a significant decrease in first major cardiovascular event (myocardial infarction, stroke, unstable angina, coronary revascularization or cardiac death) was indeed met.