Care Access hosts free heart and kidney health screenings in Ventura

VENTURA, Calif.—Patients like Gloria Olson took a blood test Friday to have insight into metrics like their blood sugar levels and kidney function. 
 
“It creates awareness and makes people start to think about their health and maybe change their habits,” said Olson, who lives in Ventura. 

But according to cardiologist Dr. Irving Loh there are some things that habits can’t change.
 
He talks about a dangerous type of Cholestrol known as Lipoprotein a, better known as Lp(a).
  
“You can actually have a normal cholesterol level and a fairly high Lp(a). And what you're looking for are patients with that elevated Lp(a) in our cardio metabolic screening because those patients may be at increased risk for future cardiovascular event. it's mostly genetically based. You can't exercise or diet it away. It has to be managed directly,” said Dr. Loh.
 
Lp(a) impacts 1 in 5 people and significantly increases the risk of heart disease and stroke. 
 
There are currently no approved medicines for lowering Lp(a), but Care Access says this screening will help people who have elevated Lp(a) get involved in a clinical trial for a therapy that could potentially save their lives. 
  
“Clinical trials are just such an important part of the the drug development process and getting new drugs to people who really need them and treatments really to people who could benefit from them. And so we want to make sure that that we're giving people opportunities everywhere to join clinical trials, not just if you're really close to a clinical research facility,” said Care Access Spokesperson Rana Mukaled.

Care Access will be hosting a second free screening Saturday in Ventura outside of Community Memorial Hospital.