hs-CRP (High Sensitivity CRP) Test

hs-CRP, or high-sensitivity C-Reactive Protein, is a specialized version of the standard CRP test capable of detecting much smaller, subtler elevations in this inflammation marker — differences that a routine CRP test would miss entirely.

This heightened sensitivity makes hs-CRP particularly useful for a very different purpose than standard CRP: rather than diagnosing acute infection, it's used to detect the low-grade, chronic inflammation that plays a key role in the development of atherosclerosis, the underlying process behind most heart attacks and strokes.

Research has consistently shown that people with persistently elevated hs-CRP, even within what would be considered a 'mild' range, carry a measurably higher long-term risk of cardiovascular events, independent of their cholesterol levels.

Because of this, hs-CRP is increasingly used alongside a standard lipid profile to give a more complete picture of a person's overall cardiovascular risk, particularly for those with borderline cholesterol results.