CORONARY HEART DISEASE
C-Reactive
Protein Tests
from
Home Health Testing®
Coronary Heart Disease can be detected early
with C-Reactive Protein Tests. C-reactive protein (CRP) is a substance
produced by the liver and its levels increase during periods of
inflammation. Though not condition specific, inflammation is a
significant indicator of health problems such as coronary heart
disease. Early detection of coronary heart disease is possible with a
C-Reactive Protein Test.
Many factors can cause an increase
in a person's CRP levels (osteoarthritis, cancer, a common cold or
other infections) but in the absence of any specific disease, an
increased CRP level poses a significant risk of coronary heart
disease. Elevated levels of CRP is the first indicator of heart
disease recommended by the American Heart Association in over 20 years
and can be detected with a high sensitivity C-Reactive Protein Test
(hs-CRP).
The Landmark hs-CRP Test
The Landmark Diagnostics high sensitivity
C-Reactive Protein Test combines the convenience of a home sample
collection with the accuracy of a certified clinical laboratory
determination.
Landmark's hs-CRP Test adds an important
additional piece of information to a doctor's traditional assessment
of overall cardiac health. When the arteries around the heart become
inflamed by atherosclerosis, a person's CRP levels become elevated.
Even in the absence of traditional blockages, inflamed artery walls
can become softened and develop weak areas that can suddenly rupture.
Plaque also develops more quickly in inflamed arteries, increasing the
risks of heart attack or stroke.
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The major factors that promote coronary heart
disease - cigarette smoking, high blood pressure, atherosclerosis, and
high blood sugar - are well established. These risk factors give rise
to a variety of noxious stimuli that cause the release of chemicals
and the activation of cells involved in the inflammatory process.
These events are thought to contribute not only to the formation of
plaque but may also contribute to its disruption resulting in the
formation of a blood clot. Thus, virtually every step in the
development of plaque is believed to involve substances involved in
the inflammatory response and cells that are characteristic of
inflammation.
Healthy men and women with normal cholesterol
levels are still at risk for future heart attack if they have elevated
levels of CRP. A person's CRP levels are elevated for a reason - and
that reason quite often is inflammation of the artery walls. According
to the American Heart Association, scientific studies have found that
the higher the CRP level, the higher the risk of having a heart
attack. In fact, the risk for heart attack in people in the upper
third of CRP levels has been determined to be twice that of those
whose CRP level is in the lower third.
- If CRP level is lower than 1.0 mg/L, a person has a low risk of developing cardiovascular disease.
- If CRP is between 1.0 and 3.0 mg/L, a person has an average risk.
- If CRP is higher than 3.0 mg/L, a person is at high risk.
If your cardiovascular risk score (judged by
the American
Heart Association Risk Assessment) is low (the possibility of
developing cardiovascular disease is less than 10 percent in 10
years), an hs-CRP Test is not warranted. If your risk score is in the
intermediate range (10–20 percent in 10 years) or higher, an
hs-CRP Test can help predict a cardiovascular or stroke event and help
direct further evaluation and therapy.
C-reactive protein
levels are used mainly as an indication of inflammation. Measuring and
charting C-Reactive Protein levels can prove useful in determining
disease progress or the effectiveness of treatments. Blood has been
traditionally collected in a serum-separating tube and analyzed in a
medical laboratory. Landmark Diagnostics has developed a revolutionary
new way to collect, store, and transport micro-sample blood specimens
for laboratory analysis using a patented blood collection card. It
supersedes all previous collection methods in its ease of use and
accuracy.
The Landmark Diagnostics high sensitivity
C-Reactive Protein Test provides the same clinical results that can be
obtained from a local laboratory, but without the inconvenience of
keeping an appointment and the need to draw blood from the arm. The
process is very quick and virtually painless.
A special
finger lancet is supplied in the Landmark Blood Collection Kit. With
it, three drops of blood are taken from a micro-nick of the finger,
placed on a special collection card to dry, inserted into the special
mailer provided, and then sent (postage paid) to Landmark Diagnostics'
CLIA certified laboratory for analysis. Test results are available in
approximately 5 days.
Results are promptly sent back to the person
who took the test and/or that person's designated health care
professional. The Landmark Diagnostics hs-CRP Test is accurate,
private, convenient, easy-to-use and reasonably priced at $34.95.
Everything is included, there are no extra charges. A toll free
Landmark Diagnostics Customer Care phone number comes with your test
package.
The Landmark Diagnostics high sensitivity
C-Reactive Protein Test - the accuracy of a laboratory in the privacy
of your home.
Click Here to order a Landmark hs-CRP Test for $34.95
It is recommended that the Landmark hs-CRP Test be taken in conjunction with the Landmark Full Lipid Panel Cholesterol Test.
Another related product that may be of interest to you is the CARE Colon Cancer Test. Patients showing signs of heart disease are at nearly double the risk of also having colon cancer, perhaps because unhealthy habits and inflammation are at the root of both according to a recently published study.
Home Health Testing® is a division of
AbDiagnostics, Inc.
914 Palmetto Ave
Melbourne FL 32901-4730
1-800-211-6636
Copyright© 2000 -
2007 AbDiagnostics, Inc., all rights reserved
Last Revision Made 1/01/08
