Many patients ask what is c reactive protein in blood test , primarily when the doctor directs them to perform this test, and it is also considered one of the most famous types of medical tests that a large number of doctors request from patients in most medical cases.
what is c reactive protein in blood test?
C reactive protein in blood test refers to a blood test that predicts the presence of a high level of inflammation that requires treatment, especially since the test results are positive shortly after the occurrence of inflammation in the patient’s body.
What Is C-reactive Protein (CRP)?
It is a type of protein that the liver releases in large quantities and rapidly when inflammation or infection occurs. Since it belongs to the Acute Phase Proteins category, its high levels are a sure sign of inflammation in the body. The severity of inflammation depends on the level of this protein in the patient’s blood serum.
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What Is the C-Reactive Protein (CRP) Blood Test?
Within the knowledge of what is C reactive protein in blood test, it is mentioned that the idea of this test is based on measuring the percentage of active C protein in blood serum through the use of some medical laboratory techniques.
Why Would I Need a CRP Blood Test?
Your doctor may direct you to do a CRP test if there is suspicion that you have an infection or some diseases associated with inflammation in the body, such as irritable bowel syndrome, gastrointestinal infections in general, arthritis, and also in cases of lupus.
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C-Reactive Protein Test for Heart Disease
Sometimes, a type of C-reactive protein test, called the high sensitivity C reactive protein test (hs-CRP), may be performed to determine whether a patient has had a myocardial infarction.
When Should I Get a CRP Test?
Some symptoms and signs that may indicate the presence of an infection or inflammation in the body, which require conducting the C reactive protein test, such as:
- Rapid heartbeat rate
- Nausea
- High body temperature
- chills
- Rapid breathing
- vomiting
- pain in some body parts
- headache
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What Is the CRP Test Used For?
Doctors can depend on CRP test results (Besides other tests) in detecting and monitoring some types of diseases, such as:
- Viral, bacterial, or fungal infections.
- Some digestive system disorders and inflammations, such as ulcerative colitis, stomach inflammation, and IBS.
- In the case of some Respiratory system disorders, such as asthma.
- Autoimmune diseases.
What Happens During a CRP Test?
If you do not know what is C reactive protein in blood test and how it is performed, it is worth noting that healthcare providers, especially homehealth care service providers, rely on home nursing services to perform a blood test at home by drawing a venous blood sample with a suitable needle tip and syringe from the patient’s arm.
The patient only feels a slight prick at the place of the needle insertion, and the test does not take more than 5 to 10 minutes.
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How to Prepare for a CRP Blood Test
No prior preparations for the patient are required before performing the CRP test, However, some homehealth care service providers believe that it is best to stop eating for about 6 hours before the appointment of obtaining the lab test at home service.
Are There Any Risks to the CRP Test?
Among illustrating what is C reactive protein in blood test, it should be noted that there are no risks associated with this test.
Especially when relying on a specialized and accurate medical center like Lana Life Care Clinic, which provides skilled and certified home nursing services.
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What Do My CRP Blood Test Results Mean?
If the C-reactive protein (CRP) test results are positive and equal to or higher than 6 mg/L, this is a definitive indication of inflammation in the body.
The higher the result, the higher the level of inflammation in the body.
However, the CRP test alone cannot be relied upon to pinpoint the cause of inflammation in the body. Your doctor will need to conduct further tests to accurately determine the underlying health problem.
High CRP Levels: What Do They Mean?
High CRP levels indicate that any infection or inflammation in the body has caused an increase in the release rate of C-reactive protein from the liver, and an increase in its level in the bloodstream as well.
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How to Reduce CRP Levels
After performing a CRP test through the blood test at home service, if the result is positive, the doctor must examine the patient thoroughly and conduct further medical tests to determine the cause of the elevated CRP level.
Once the problem is detected and treated, the CRP level in the blood will automatically decrease.
It is worth noting that the half-life of CRP is short, so it rises and falls rapidly.
What’s the Treatment for High CRP?
The type of treatment depends on the cause of the elevated CRP level, as follows:
- Anti-inflammatory medications are prescribed if the cause is general inflammation in any part of the body without infection.
- If the cause of the elevated CRP level is an infection, the patient must receive the appropriate antibiotic to combat the infection and any associated complications.
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Why Choose Lana Life Care for Your Blood Test Needs?
Lana Life Care Clinic in Dubai is the largest medical center offering reliable homehealth care services. The clinic offers home nursing services via a certified team of male and female nurses with multiple specialties. In addition, the healthcare providers at the clinic will explain what is c reactive protein in blood test, to be aware of why you are having to conduct this test.
Therefore, we can provide the best, fastest, and most reliable blood test at home service by dispatching an experienced and skilled nurse to safely and securely draw a blood sample from the patient and send it to the lab. Then, we begin performing the test with precision and high efficiency, which makes our lab test at home services unrivaled in Dubai.
Faqs
Which infection causes high CRP?
Bacterial, viral, or even fungal infection can raise the CRP level
What level of C-reactive protein indicates infection?
If the CRP test result equals or exceeds 6.0 mg/L, it indicates infection or inflammation.
What should I do if my C-reactive protein is positive?
You must consult your doctor to detect the cause of positive CRP in your blood, and give you the appropriate treatment.
What does it mean when your C-reactive protein is positive?
This means that there is already an infection or inflammatory disease in the body that requires treatment.
What is an alarming level of CRP?
The higher the CRP level in the blood, the more severe the inflammatory condition in the body.
Sources:
https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/c-reactive-protein-CRP-blood-test
https://medlineplus.gov/lab-tests/c-reactive-protein-crp-test/