CRP High (C-Reactive Protein): What It Means, Limits of the Test, and Trend-Based Decisions

C-reactive protein (CRP) is a nonspecific marker of inflammation people search for: "CRP 50", "CRP high but no infection", "hs-CRP for heart disease". It goes up with infections, tissue injury, autoimmune flares, and many other conditions.

How clinicians read CRP

• Magnitude can hint at severity, but context and trend are critical.
• Very high CRP may reflect bacterial infection or major tissue damage.
• hs-CRP is a distinct assay for cardiovascular risk; do not use hs-CRP for acute infection decisions.

Educational next steps

1. Always interpret with symptoms, exam, and other tests (cultures, imaging) when infection is suspected.
2. Antibiotic stewardship: avoid treating a number without a source.
3. For chronic elevation, discuss lifestyle factors (weight, smoking, sleep, physical activity) and inflammatory conditions.

Educational use only. Not a diagnosis or prescription.