The Effect of High Blood Pressure on C Reactive Protein

Dr. Paul M. Ridker of Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts, points out that studies show both elevated blood pressure and elevated C reactive protein make the risk for cardiovascular disease eight times greater.

"At all levels of blood pressure, the patients with higher CRP readings were at substantially greater risk of future cardiovascular events than patients with lower CRP," said Ridker.



Research has found a significant link between the amount of C reactive protein in the blood and the potential risk for high blood pressure. A combination of the two can be deadly.

Definitions of High Blood Pressure and C Reactive Protein

• Blood pressure is a measure of the amount of push the blood makes against artery walls. Blood pressure measurement consists of systolic pressure and diastolic pressure. According to the American Heart Association, high blood pressure occurs when systolic pressure is greater than 140 and diastolic pressure is greater than 90.

  C reactive protein is protein or a byproduct of inflammation that is found in the blood. Elevated CRP in the blood indicates inflammation that is linked to higher risk of coronary disease and stroke.

Risks of High Blood Pressure and Elevated CRP

• Hypertension causes the heart to beat much harder in order to circulate blood, risking damage to the arteries that carry the blood. Untreated, high blood pressure can lead to heart attack or heart failure, stroke or kidney failure.

  When there is inflammation in the body, there will be elevated levels of CRP in the blood. According to Dr. Melissa Stoppler of the website MedicineNet, "The evidence now available indicates that inflammation and molecules such as C reactive protein associated with inflammation may be as important as cholesterol in determining the development of atherosclerosis ('hardening of the arteries') and heart disease."

Statistics on Hypertension and Elevated CRP

• According to estimates made by the American Heart Association, approximately 50 million Americans suffer from high blood pressure—or hypertension—and many of them don’t even know it. High blood pressure is listed as one of the primary causes of death for Americans.

  In a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, people found to be in the highest category for elevated CRP stood a 52 percent greater chance of developing high blood pressure than those with less elevated levels of CRP.

  According to Dr. Mary Cushman, professor of medicine and pathology at the University of Vermont, 56 percent of people who are obese face a greater risk of having elevated CRP levels. In a report published on the website of the American Association for Clinical Chemistry, Cushman said obesity raised the risk to 61 percent for black women; 56 percent for white women; 38 percent for black men; and 31 percent for white men.

Research Findings and Significance

• Researchers from Harvard Medical School found a significant link between CRP levels in blood and potential for developing hypertension. Such findings provide evidence that high blood pressure may be an inflammatory disease. Such inflammation may contribute to elevated blood pressure by causing changes in the endothelium, a thin layer of cells that line the walls of blood vessels. Elevated levels of C-reactive protein may change the endothelium, which can contribute to elevated blood pressure.

  According to information provided in Harvard University Gazette, research on high blood pressure by Howard Sesso, Harvard assistant professor of medicine, provides indicators of who may in the future develop high blood pressure. The finding may boost prevention efforts.

  "This opens up a new area of research," Sesso said. "More often than not, high blood pressure is viewed as a risk factor for cardiovascular disease and not looked at [by those interested in] primary prevention."

Prevention of Hypertension and Elevated CRP

• People can prevent high blood pressure by eating a healthy diet, getting regular cardio exercise, reducing salt intake, abstaining from alcohol or drinking it in moderation, and reducing stress. Certain dietary supplements, such as potassium, calcium, fish oil, magnesium, and garlic are considered beneficial as well.

  The risk for elevated C reactive protein is greater in people who are obese. Considering such a risk factor, maintaining a healthy weight may help reduce the risk of acquiring elevated levels of CRP.