Dr. Guy Spinner

C-Reactive Protein

Researchers have published in the New England Journal of Medicine that elevated levels of C-Reactive Protein increase the risk for cardiovascular disease. Elevated C- Reactive Protein levels are a stronger predictor of heart attacks than elevated levels of cholesterol. It is now recommended that C-Reative Protein and cholesterol screening are used for accurate risk assessment of cardiovascular disease.

A study published in the Journal of Periodontology reported that inflammatory effects from periodontal disease, a chronic bacterial infection of the gums, cause oral bacteria by-products and these by-products enter the bloodstream and trigger the liver to make proteins such as C-Reative Protein that inflame arteries and promote blood clot formation, which can lead to heart attacks or strokes. The American Heart Association and the Centers of Disease Control now recommend that Americans have their C-Reative Protein levels tested as part of their regular physical.