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Inflammation

CRP and hs-CRP: which test says something about the heart

CRP (C-reactive protein) is a protein that according to a 2003 review liver cells make mainly under the control of the signal substance IL-6. According to the NVKC, the liver releases it into the bloodstream, where CRP serves as a general signal substance for inflammation.

According to the NVKC, the amount of CRP in the blood increases sharply within 6 to 8 hours after an inflammation starts, whereas in cardiovascular disease the body makes very small amounts of CRP over a long time, which the ordinary CRP test does not measure. Only a blood test shows how high CRP is.

Certe gives a CRP below 5 mg/L from age 18 as the reference value.

Doctor's Assessment Included

CRP is a protein made by the liver that rises sharply in the blood within 6 to 8 hours of the start of an inflammation. The upper limit differs by laboratory: 5 mg/l at Unilabs and Certe, 6 at Diagnostiek voor U and 10 at Star-SHL.

  • A raised CRP can point to an inflammation or infection, but does not show where it is or what causes it.
  • Once an inflammation subsides, CRP can fall quickly: its half-life is about 19 hours, which makes recovery easy to follow with CRP.
  • A normal CRP does not rule out an infection that has just started, because CRP only rises above 5 mg/l about 6 hours after an inflammation begins.

Reference Ranges

Male
mg/l
Normal < 10 High

Reference ranges may vary between laboratories. When you order a test, a BIG-registered doctor assesses your personal results in context. For treatment decisions, discuss your results with your GP.

Check your own value

CRP (C-Reactive Protein): what Dutch laboratories use

The upper limit runs from 5 mg/l at Unilabs to 10 mg/l at Star-shl.

Reference ranges by group, in mg/l
Star-shl · Everyone 0–10 mg/l
0 10
Unilabs · Everyone 0–5 mg/l
0 5
Certe · Everyone · 18 years and older · a limit, not a range < 5 mg/L
5
Diagnostiek voor U · Everyone · a limit, not a range < 6 mg/L
6
0 11 mg/l

Source: Star-shl

Source: Unilabs

Source: Certe

Source: Diagnostiek voor U

Each value as the laboratory itself publishes it, retrieved in 2026.

CRP (C-Reactive Protein): what this test measures

The ordinary CRP test measures CRP in mg/l, and according to the NVKC a more sensitive measurement is used for the risk of cardiovascular disease, hs-CRP (high sensitive), which can also measure small amounts of CRP.

CRP (C-Reactive Protein): why this value matters

CRP is persistently raised in some people with a chronic inflammatory disease such as rheumatoid arthritis, and according to a 2003 review such conditions are associated with premature cardiovascular disease.

CRP (C-Reactive Protein): how the blood test works

Referral
No GP referral needed. After the order we arrange the referral through ZorgDomein, within one business day; orders after 17:00 or at the weekend start on the next business day. ZorgDomein emails a barcode, and that barcode is what the draw site needs.
The draw
A blood draw from a vein in the arm, at a partner laboratory's draw site. No home kit, no finger prick.
Where
650+ draw sites run by independent laboratories across the Netherlands. Draw sites

CRP (C-Reactive Protein): how to prepare

  1. Been ill? Wait a little

    Required

    Had a fever, an infection or a vaccination in the past 2 weeks? Wait with the draw until you are fully recovered. These values react to inflammation and would give a distorted picture.

  2. Better no hard training beforehand

    Recommended

    Hard exercise in the 48 hours before can raise this value temporarily. Plan the draw on a rest day if you can.

  • Water is always fine. Drink as usual beforehand, it makes the draw easier.
  • Take your usual medication, unless your own doctor told you otherwise.

CRP (C-Reactive Protein): when is testing worthwhile?

According to the NVKC, hs-CRP is used for a question about heart risk, and the ordinary CRP test is meant to detect an inflammation or infection or to follow the effect of a treatment.

CRP (C-Reactive Protein): symptoms of a high or low value

Low Levels

A low CRP can occur in liver failure, because according to a 2003 review liver failure impairs the production of CRP.

High Levels

According to the NVKC, a raised CRP is a possible sign of an acute inflammation, and most inflammations give a CRP above 100 mg/l. According to a 2003 review, smoking and gum disease go together with higher CRP values, which according to that review seems more clearly related to local inflammation outside the arteries.

CRP (C-Reactive Protein): causes of a low or high value

What lowers the value

  • Liver failure

    The liver makes CRP, and in liver failure less CRP is produced.

  • Statins

    Statins, cholesterol-lowering medicines, lower CRP, separately from their effect on cholesterol.

What raises the value

  • Infection or acute inflammation

    A raised or rising CRP can point to acute inflammation or infection.

  • Dead tissue

    Dead tissue is a strong trigger for CRP; a heart attack is followed by a large CRP response.

  • Chronic inflammatory disease

    In some people with a chronic inflammatory disease such as rheumatoid arthritis, CRP stays raised; lupus (SLE), an autoimmune disease, does not cause a large CRP rise despite clear inflammation.

  • Overweight

    A higher BMI goes with a higher baseline CRP, the CRP value without inflammation, and weight loss lowers it.

  • The pill and hormone tablets

    The contraceptive pill and hormone therapy taken as tablets after menopause go with a higher CRP without inflammation; hormone therapy through the skin does not.

CRP (C-Reactive Protein): lifestyle and this value

With a raised CRP, see your GP: according to the NVKC, CRP is a general signal substance that warns the doctor when the cause and treatment need further investigation.

CRP (C-Reactive Protein): frequently asked questions

Do statins lower CRP?

Yes, according to a 2003 review, statins reproducibly lower CRP, independently of their effect on blood fats.

What does Certe say about CRP and heart risk?

For the risk of cardiovascular disease, Certe calls a CRP below 1 mg/L low risk, 1 to 3 mg/L average risk and above 3 mg/L raised risk.

CRP (C-Reactive Protein): sources

  1. Star-shl, Labbepalingen (referentiewaarden per bepaling), star-shl.nl, geraadpleegd 2026-10-01 (retrieved 2026) star-shl.nl
  2. Unilabs, Bepalingenklapper (referentiewaarden per bepaling), bepalingenklapper.nl, geraadpleegd 2026-10-01 (retrieved 2026) bepalingenklapper.nl
  3. Certe, Bepalingenwijzer (referentiewaarden per bepaling), bepalingenwijzer.certe.nl, geraadpleegd 2026-10-01 (retrieved 2026) bepalingenwijzer.certe.nl
  4. Diagnostiek voor U, eLabgids (Referentiewaarden DvU), diagnostiek.getincontrol.eu, geraadpleegd 2026-10-01 (retrieved 2026) diagnostiek.getincontrol.eu
  5. Pepys MB, Hirschfield GM. C-reactive protein: a critical update. J Clin Invest 2003;111(12):1805-1812. (retrieved 2026) pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
  6. NVKC, Alles over testen: CRP, allesovertesten.nl, geraadpleegd 2026-10-06 (retrieved 2026) allesovertesten.nl

Tests with related values

These panels measure values from the same category as this marker.

Testosterone

Complete Men's Health Panel

A broad men's health panel: hormones, heart, metabolic, and organ function in one blood draw.

HbA1c (Glycated Hemoglobin) ALT (Alanine Aminotransferase) TSH (Thyroid Stimulating Hormone) Triglycerides Creatinine Glucose (Fasting) Free T4 (Thyroxine) LDL Cholesterol SHBG (Sex Hormone Binding Globulin) Total Cholesterol Vitamin D (25-OH) Free Testosterone Total Testosterone Ferritin hs-CRP (High Sensitivity CRP) HDL Cholesterol eGFR (Estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate) Cholesterol/HDL Ratio Non-HDL Cholesterol LDL/HDL Ratio
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Age-appropriate screening including testosterone and PSA.

HbA1c (Glycated Hemoglobin) PSA (Prostate-Specific Antigen) ALT (Alanine Aminotransferase) TSH (Thyroid Stimulating Hormone) Triglycerides Creatinine Free T4 (Thyroxine) LDL Cholesterol SHBG (Sex Hormone Binding Globulin) Total Cholesterol Vitamin D (25-OH) Free Testosterone Total Testosterone hs-CRP (High Sensitivity CRP) HDL Cholesterol eGFR (Estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate) Cholesterol/HDL Ratio Non-HDL Cholesterol LDL/HDL Ratio
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Medical reviewer

Medical standards

Dr. Naimi oversees the medical standards behind our content and assessments.

Medical policy
CIBG Ministerie van Volksgezondheid,
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CRP (C-Reactive Protein)

€18,-