C-reactive protein (CRP) is a protein produced by the liver during the inflammatory process. It is involved in the immune response, and its levels rise during inflammation associated with infections, autoimmune diseases, and chronic conditions. High CRP levels are linked to bacterial infections, rheumatoid arthritis, and cardiovascular dangers including heart disease. The CRP test determines inflammation levels, treatment progress, and the probability of severe health conditions.

Based on its sensitivity, CRP is divided into two categories. 

• Standard CRP: It is employed in the identification of generalized inflammation due to infections or other chronic conditions including rheumatoid arthritis or lupus.
  
  
• High-Sensitivity CRP (hs-CRP): It is employed mainly for the assessment of the risk of cardiovascular diseases since mild increases in hs-CRP are a marker of potential risk of heart disease or stroke.

CRP is a non-specific marker, which means it does not distinguish the cause of inflammation; however, it is a very useful marker for diagnosing and monitoring different medical conditions. Other diagnostic tests are also used by doctors to determine the severity of an illness and the effectiveness of treatment by looking at CRP levels.