Cleveland Clinic study on cholesterol-lowering drugs, colon cancer screenings, need for blood donors

Hinzugefügt: 2026-06-02

[00:00:04]I'm Monica Robins with your top three health headlines. A new Cleveland Clinic analysis finds a cholesterol-lowering drug cuts the risk of dangerous blood clots in patients who can't tolerate statins. Researchers studied nearly 14,000 patients over 3 years and found those taking bempedoic acid develop significantly fewer cases of venous throm- thromboembolism, blood clots that form in the veins and can travel to the lungs. The drug showed a 42% reduction in relative risk compared to a placebo and it differs from statins by activating only in the liver, reducing the side effects that make statins intolerable for some patients. The American Cancer Society updates its colorectal cancer screening guidelines now including blood tests and new at-home stool tests as options alongside colonoscopy. Screening still starts at 45 for average-risk adults, but the new options aim to reach the more than 20 million eligible Americans who haven't been tested. Colorectal cancer now tops the list of cancer killers in adults under 50 and catching it early pushes 5-year survival rates above 90%. Bottom line, the best screening test is the one you actually do. And summer unofficially started and with it so-called trauma season. The American Red Cross warns blood donations drop every summer just as demand rises driven by car crashes, recreational accidents, and outdoor injuries. About 25% of trauma patients need blood transfusions and up to 5% require 10 or more units, which quickly drains hospital supplies. All blood types are needed, especially type O, along with plasma and platelets, which expire in just 5 days. If you're able, consider being a donor. I'm Monica Robbins and that's your daily dose.

[00:02:04]>> Monica, thank you.