C-reactive protein, also known as PCR, is a protein produced by the liver that usually increases when there is a certain type of inflammatory or infectious process in the body, being one of the first indicators to be modified in blood analysis. , in these situations.
This protein is widely used to evaluate the possibility of infection or a non-visible inflammatory process, such as appendicitis, atherosclerosis or suspected viral and bacterial infections, for example. However, PCR can also be used to assess a person’s risk of developing cardiovascular disease, since the higher the cardiovascular disease, the higher the risk of cardiovascular disease.
- This test does not accurately indicate the person’s inflammation or infection.
- But an increase in the person’s values indicates that the body is fighting an aggressive agent.
- Which can also result in an increase in white blood cells.
- Therefore.
- The value of PCR should always be analyzed by the doctor who ordered the test.
- As it may order additional tests and evaluate the person’s medical history.
- To get to the most correct diagnosis.
The pcR reference value, in both men and women, is up to 3.0 mg/L or 0.3 mg/dL. In terms of cardiovascular risk, the values that indicate the risk of developing heart disease are:
Therefore, it is important that the PCR values are between 1 and 3 mg / L. Low C-reactive protein values may also be observed in certain situations, such as people who have suffered significant weight loss, physical exercise, alcohol consumption, and use of certain medications, it is important for your doctor to identify the cause.
The interpretation of the result must be performed by the doctor, because to reach the diagnostic conclusion it is important that the other tests are analyzed together, thus better identifying the cause of the increase or decrease in PCR.
Your doctor requests ultrasensitive PCR exam when you want to assess the risk of the person having cardiovascular problems, such as a heart attack or stroke. In this case, the test is requested when the person is healthy, with no apparent symptoms or infection. This test is more specific and can detect minimal amounts of PCR in your blood.
If the person is apparently healthy and has ultrasensitive high PCR values, this means he or she is at risk of developing peripheral artery disease, or suffering a heart attack or stroke, so you should eat appropriately and exercise regularly. See 7 other tips to reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease.
High C-reactive protein occurs in most inflammatory and infectious processes in the human body, and can be linked to various situations such as bacteria, cardiovascular disease, rheumatism, and even organ transplant rejection, for example.
In some cases, PCR values may indicate the severity of inflammation or infection:
Increased this protein may also indicate chronic diseases and therefore the doctor should ask for more tests to try to find out what led to its increase in the bloodstream, because PCR alone is not able to determine the disease. Discover the main symptoms of inflammation.
After confirming the high values of PCR, the doctor should evaluate the result of the other prescribed tests, as well as the patient, taking into account the symptoms presented. Thus, from the moment the cause is identified, treatment can be initiated in a more focused and specific way.
When the patient only has discomfort without other specific symptoms or risk factors, the doctor may order more tests, such as measuring tumor markers or CT scans, for example, to verify the risk of increased PCR being related to cancer.
When PCR values are greater than 200 mg/L and the diagnosis of infection is confirmed, it is generally indicated that the person is hospitalized to receive antibiotics through venousness. PCR values begin to increase 6 hours after the onset of infection and tend to decrease when antibiotics start. If 2 days after antibiotic use, PCR values do not decrease, it is important for your doctor to establish another treatment strategy.