Your heart is a vital organ that works around the clock to pump blood to the rest of the body. One of the hidden threats to your heart is inflammation, an often overlooked risk factor for developing cardiovascular disease (CVD). Research into how inflammation contributes to cardiovascular disease is ongoing, but some studies show a link between elevated inflammation biomarkers and increased risk of heart disease. Getting tested for key inflammation biomarkers like high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and GlycA can provide insight into your heart health and empower you to reduce your risk.
In this guide, we’ll learn more about hs-CRP and GlycA and how these important biomarkers can provide a comprehensive picture of inflammation levels in the body.
First, what is inflammation and how does it impact your heart?
Inflammation is your body’s natural response to injury or infection. Inflammation can be acute (short-term) or chronic (long-lasting). Acute inflammation occurs in response to illness, injury or infection, while chronic inflammation can be a result of long-lasting conditions like heart disease, diabetes, cancer and rheumatoid arthritis.
Ongoing inflammation in the blood vessels can cause them to narrow and stiffen. These changes make arteries more susceptible to atherosclerosis, where fatty plaque deposits build up in the artery walls. Inflammation and atherosclerosis can reduce oxygen supply to the heart muscle, which is why keeping track of your inflammatory biomarkers can be important for assessing your heart health.
What is the difference between hs-CRP and GlycA?
C-reactive protein (CRP) is a protein made in the liver. CRP levels increase in response to inflammation in the body, especially short-term inflammation that results from injury, illness or infection. A high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) test is more sensitive than a standard CRP test and can measure smaller fluctuations in your levels.
GlycA is a measure of glycosylated proteins, or proteins modified in a specific way, which are indicative of inflammation and therefore risk of heart disease. A GlycA test measures the number of glycosylated proteins circulating in your system, which like CRP, are associated with the body’s inflammatory response. GlycA can be beneficial in evaluating chronic conditions and assessing cardiovascular risk.
Knowing your hs-CRP and GlycA levels can help you and your provider determine whether you may be at increased risk for cardiovascular disease.
Who should test their GlycA levels and hs-CRP levels?
Monitoring your GlycA and hs-CRP levels can be beneficial for anyone, but getting tested is particularly important if you have existing risk factors for CVD, such as:
- Smoking habits
- Diabetes
- Being overweight
- Family history of early CVD like high blood pressure or high cholesterol
- Autoimmune disorders like rheumatoid arthritis
Understanding your levels can empower you to make lifestyle choices to lower your inflammation, such as quitting smoking, maintaining a healthy weight, increasing physical activity or eating a heart-healthy diet. Sharing these results with your provider is the best way to determine the plan of action that works best for you and your heart.
How can I get tested for hs-CRP and GlycA?
While the results of these tests do not indicate a diagnosis for illnesses associated with chronic inflammation, they can help your provider determine whether you are at risk or require further testing.
If you are interested in better understanding your heart disease risk, Labcorp OnDemand’s Complete Heart Health Test is an expanded panel that includes GlycA and other key indicators of cardiovascular risk like cholesterol, triglycerides and apolipoprotein B (ApoB). Labcorp OnDemand also offers an hs-CRP test to help detect this inflammatory biomarker in the body. You can purchase these tests online and visit a Labcorp patient service center near you for sample collection.
Detecting heart health issues early provides you with more options to improve your health over the long term.
