What the hs-CRP Test (High-Sensitivity C-Reactive Protein) measures
High-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) measures the same protein as a standard CRP test, but with a method that can measure much lower levels accurately. C-reactive protein is made by the liver and rises when there is inflammation in the body. Low-grade inflammation in the walls of blood vessels is one of the processes involved in the build-up of plaque in the arteries, and studies have linked slightly raised hs-CRP levels with a higher risk of heart attack and stroke. For this reason, some doctors use hs-CRP alongside a lipid profile, blood pressure, blood sugar, smoking history and family history when judging a person’s overall heart risk, especially when that risk is borderline. hs-CRP is not a test for heart disease on its own, and it does not show where inflammation is coming from. A cold, an infection, an injury, a recent vaccination or an inflammatory condition can all raise it for a time, so a high reading is often repeated after a few weeks once you are well. If your prescription simply says CRP, for example during a fever, the standard CRP test is usually the one to book.
Price: the hs-CRP Test (High-Sensitivity C-Reactive Protein) costs ₹680 at Pure Bliss (MRP ₹850), with the sample collected at our Action Area 2, New Town centre or at your home.
Who this test is for
- Heart-risk assessment, together with a lipid profile, as advised by a doctor
- A family history of early heart disease
- People with diabetes, high blood pressure or high cholesterol whose risk is being reviewed
- A repeat check after an earlier raised hs-CRP
How to prepare, the sample, and when to expect the report
Preparation
Fasting is not needed for hs-CRP alone. If it is booked with a lipid profile, fast for 10 to 12 hours, as the lipid profile needs it. It is better to give the sample when you are well, not during a cold, fever or other infection; tell us about any recent illness, injury, surgery or vaccination.
Sample
Blood, from a vein in the arm (serum).
Reporting time
Within 24 hours.
Reading the result
As commonly used guidance for heart-risk assessment (American Heart Association), an hs-CRP below 1 mg/L is grouped as lower risk, 1 to 3 mg/L as average, and above 3 mg/L as higher risk; a value above about 10 mg/L usually points to an infection or other active inflammation, and the test is repeated once that has settled. Your own report’s range and your doctor’s reading take priority over these general figures. Reference ranges differ between laboratories, so your report lists the laboratory’s own range beside each value. A result outside the range does not always mean illness; ask your doctor to explain it.
- Centre or home collection
- NABL-accredited Redcliffe Labs collection centre
- How collection works →
The hs-CRP Test (High-Sensitivity C-Reactive Protein) can be booked at the clinic in Action Area 2 or with a home collection from 7:30 AM. Patients come to us from Action Area 1, Action Area 3, Rajarhat, Chinar Park, Salt Lake Sector V, Sukhobrishti and Eco Park.