| Blood Protein Signals Heart Disease Risk
ISLAMABAD: As cholesterol builds up on artery walls, blood vessels shrink and blood pressure goes up. Now, there's a new test to help predict dangerous ruptures in those clogged arteries -- ruptures that can lead to heart attack or stroke. The cheap, easy blood test measures circulating levels of an inflammation-linked compound called C-reactive protein (CRP), and it's becoming increasingly popular in doctor's offices nationwide. "Even people with relatively low cholesterol levels, if they have a high CRP they may still be at high risk for heart trouble," said Dr. James O'Keefe, a spokesman for the American College of Cardiology and director of preventive cardiology at the Mid-America Heart Institute in Kansas City. Another expert, former American Heart Association president Dr. Sidney Smith, stressed that the CRP screen should complement -- not replace -- traditional diagnostic tests such as screens for cholesterol and high blood pressure.
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