When a 55-year-old patient's routine blood work returns, the nurse notes that his C-reactive protein (CRP) is elevated. The patient asks what that means. The nurse responds,
A) "You must eat a lot of red meat since this means you have a lot of fat floating in your vessels."
B) "You are consuming high levels of folate, which works with the B vitamins and riboflavin to metabolize animal protein."
C) "This means you have high levels of HDL to balance the LDL found in animal proteins."
D) "This means you have elevated serum markers for systemic inflammation that has been associated with vascular disease."

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

CRP is a serum marker for systemic inflammation. Elevated levels are associated with vascular disease. The normal metabolism of homocysteine requires adequate levels of ^{folate, vitamin B}6^{, vitamin B}12^{, and riboflavin. CRP is not associated with red meat}consumption. LDL is an independent risk factor for the development of premature coronary heart disease.

When a 55-Year-Old Patient's Routine Blood Work Returns, the Nurse