C-reactive Protein Is Poor Predictor of a Heart Attack - Study

[Guest guest]

Protein Is Poor Predictor of a Heart Attack -Study

Wed Mar 31, 2004 04:59 PM ET

BOSTON (Reuters) - Testing patients for high levels of chemicals called

C-reactive protein to determine whether they are at risk for heart

disease provides little new information to doctors, according to a study

in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Researchers found that checking for the traditional indicators of heart

problems such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and smoking

remain more reliable.

The C-reactive protein is believed to reflect inflammation, which may

play a role in the development of heart disease.

Looking for the protein " adds little to the predictive value of standard

coronary risk factors, " the study said.

Danesh of the University of Cambridge in Britain, tested 2,459

blood samples of heart patients or people who died of heart disease from

Reykjavik, Iceland.

When their levels of C-reactive protein were compared to those of almost

4,000 volunteers who did not suffer from heart problems, he concluded

the test was only " a relatively moderate predictor of coronary heart

disease. "

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American

Heart Association recently told doctors it was " reasonable " to check

C-reactive protein levels in patients to assess the risk of heart

disease.

Danesh and his colleagues said groups that recommend the test should

rethink their advice.

http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=healthNews & storyID=4717417 & section\

=news

I'll tell you where to go!

Mayo Clinic in Rochester

http://www.mayoclinic.org/rochester

s Hopkins Medicine

http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org