High CRP reading

Hello,
I am a 55 year old woman who has microvascular disease, fibromyalgia and CFS.  My recent blood work indicated a high level of inflammation, a 4.95 on the CRP blood test. Previously, 6 months ago, it was .92.  My pain doctor thinks it might be an autoimmune disorder causing this. However, I have read about it in relation to heart disease and I am a little bit worried about that. Should I be worried? I take Verapamil and Digoxin for my heart. Thank you for any answers.

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,
ESR and CRP are the general markers of inflammation and can rise in many conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, other connective tissue diseases, tuberculosis and even in malignancies like multiple myeloma. You will need further tests to determine the cause of rise in CRP. A C-reactive protein test can also be used to evaluate your risk of developing coronary artery disease, a condition in which the arteries of your heart are narrowed. Hence your cardiac status also needs to be checked.

It is very difficult to precisely confirm a diagnosis without examination and investigations and the answer is based on the medical information provided. For exact diagnosis, you are requested to consult your doctor. I sincerely hope that helps. Take care and please do keep me posted on how you are doing.