With the recognition of the critical relationship between arterial endothelial damage, inflammation, and coronary atherosclerosis, estimating hs-CRP appears to be essential in assessing cardiac risk and is an important prognostic factor in (1) AMI, (2) stroke, (3) peripheral arterial disease, (4) hypertension, (5) atrial fibrillation, and in the course of complications after AMI, such as heart failure. The gene discussed is CRP; the disease is heart failure.