hs-CRP
Also called High-sensitivity C-reactive protein, hsCRP
hs-CRP (high-sensitivity C-reactive protein) is a blood test that detects very small increases in C-reactive protein, a protein the liver makes in response to inflammation. A standard CRP test is built to pick up the large rises seen with infection or inflammatory disease; the high-sensitivity version measures the much smaller, steadier elevations used to help estimate the risk of heart disease.
CRP is a nonspecific marker. It shows that inflammation is present somewhere in the body but cannot say where or why, and a recent infection, an injury, an autoimmune flare or smoking can all raise it. For that reason an hs-CRP result is read in context, alongside cholesterol and other risk factors, rather than on its own; a low result also does not rule inflammation out. What hs-CRP can and cannot show is covered in hs-CRP: What an Inflammation Marker Can and Cannot Show.
Why it matters after 45
Interest in hs-CRP tracks the rise in cardiovascular risk through midlife, and it is often offered as one of the tests that look beyond a cholesterol panel. CRP levels also tend to drift up slightly with age and run higher in women, and experts are unsure how much a minor rise should concern anyone, so a mildly raised result is harder to interpret than a clearly high one.
Where it comes up
Related terms
References
- MedlinePlus. C-Reactive Protein (CRP) Test. U.S. National Library of Medicine. https://medlineplus.gov/lab-tests/c-reactive-protein-crp-test/
- MedlinePlus. C-reactive protein. Medical Encyclopedia, U.S. National Library of Medicine. https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/003356.htm
Definitions here are educational and are not medical advice. They explain what a term means; the pages linked above cover what it means for you, and a clinician reviews your own results. Editorial & medical review policy · All glossary terms