Summarize the following:
When possible, it's a good idea to check your CRP sometime in your early to mid 30s, especially if you have an elevated risk for heart disease. Your doctor can check your CRP with a blood test. Your numbers might be healthy while you're young, but by checking them early in your life, you'll get a baseline number that you and your doctor can use to help predict your future risk. For most adults, CRP levels lower than 1.0 mg/L indicate a low risk of heart disease. CRP between 1.0 and 3.0 mg/L indicate an average risk, and levels above 3.0 mg/L indicate a high risk. If you have an intermediate risk of heart disease, you should consult your doctor about regular CRP testing as you get older. Depending on your health and circumstances, it might be wise to test every five years or so. Note that there are two CRP blood tests. One shows non-specific CRP levels that occur with general internal inflammation, while the other shows highly sensitive CRP (hs-CRP) levels. The latter measures inflammation within your blood vessels, so this is the test you'll need if you want to determine your risk for heart disease. If you have arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, or other autoimmune conditions, your doctor may need to give you an altered form of the CRP test since these conditions can raise your levels beyond the range used to assess cardiac health. When diet and lifestyle changes aren't enough to help drop your CRP levels, your doctor may recommend statin drugs. This is especially common for patients who also have elevated LDL cholesterol. Statin drugs have pros and cons, so you should carefully consider your options before opting for this form of medication. Some possible side effects include muscle pain, muscle damage, liver damage, digestive problems, rashes, increased blood sugar, and neurological effects.
Check your numbers early. Keep checking your numbers. Talk to your doctor about statin drugs.