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for each quartile. People whose fibrinogen levels were in the highest quartile were nearly seven times more likely to suffer a hemorrhagic stroke than those in the lowest quartile, and had double the risk of a fatal stroke. In addition, higher levels of fibrinogen elevated stroke risk independently of such major cardiovascular risk factors as high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, and smoking. High blood pressure plus high fibrinogen, however, packed a double whammy, magnifying risk even more than high fibrinogen alone. at's probably because high fibrinogen and its byproducts, such as fibrin, contribute to vascular disease by damaging the blood vessel lining, while high blood pressure further increases wear and tear that makes it easier for plaque to burrow inside. Plaque oen contains large amounts of fibrin. A large body of research has also established that elevated fibrinogen levels raise risk of coronary heart disease. In one study, researchers measured the fibrinogen levels of 2,126 people being treated in an outpatient preventative cardiology clinic, and divided them into four quartiles according to their test results. About half of the patients had coronary artery disease and on average their fibrinogen levels were higher than patients who didn't have CAD. Among patients in the two highest quartiles, about 75 percent of the men and 50 percent of the women were diagnosed with CAD. High fibrinogen has also been linked to other diseases, including diabetes, cancer, and high blood pressure, and is frequently elevated in people with insulin-resistant conditions, such as metabolic syndrome. And for people with coronary artery disease, elevated fibrinogen increases the risk that a clot will form if plaque ruptures, settling the stage for a heart attack. What the Results Mean: e normal value is less than 500 mg/dL. In one study, having a fibrinogen level of 600 mg/ dL was associated with a 200 percent increase in risk for cardiovascular events, compared to people whose fibrinogen was normal. High Sensitivity C-Reactive Protein (hs CRP) What the Test Checks for: is inexpensive blood test uses a technology called laser nephelometry to rapidly measure very small amounts of C-reactive protein (CRP) with high sensitivity (accuracy). CRP, a protein produced by the liver, rises in the bloodstream when there's inflammation throughout the body, which may indicate fire in the arteries that could ignite a heart attack or stroke. e downside of the test, however, is that it's possible to have high levels of CRP without vascular disease, because infections, injuries, having a fever, or inflammatory disorders (such as rheumatoid arthritis) can also cause a spike in levels. Despite this limitation, large studies have consistently shown that abnormally high CRP levels can be a strong predictor of cardiovascular danger. In the Physicians Health Study, which tracked about 18,000 apparently healthy doctors, elevated levels of CRP were linked to triple the risk of heart attack compared to doctors with normal CRP. e Harvard Women's Health Study reported that results of the hs CRP test were more accurate than cholesterol levels in predicting risk for cardiovascular events, while another study of women found that those with high levels of CRP were up to four times more likely to suffer a heart attack or stroke than were women with lower levels. Elevated CRP is even more dangerous if you also have a large waist, the leading sign of insulin resistance, which further magnifies heart attack and stroke risk. In a joint scientific statement, the American Heart Association and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommended hs CRP as a more sensitive (accurate) test to predict risk for vascular disease, compared to traditional CRP tests that use less sophisticated technology. What the Results Mean: A score of less than 1.0 mg/L is normal, while a score of 0.5 is optimal, since it's extremely unlikely that someone with that score has any inflammation in the arterial lining, meaning that short-term risk for Page 26 | Abby's Magazine - www.AbbysMag.com