Cholesterol drugs could cut clots

"Drugs which can regulate levels of cholesterol in the blood may also reduce the risk of dangerous clots, say scientists. Blood clots can result in stroke or heart attack. Researchers, writing in the journal Blood, reduced the size and stability of blood clots in mice and said the discovery could lead to new drugs. The British Heart Foundation said it was an exciting discovery which could result in more effective treatments. Around 32,000 people in the UK die after developing a blood clot. The team at the University of Reading was investigating how clots form and say they were surprised to find that protein, LXR, was involved. LXR is already known to control levels of cholesterol and drug companies have been targeting it for new treatments"