1 in 3 High School Seniors Who Misuse Prescription Opioids Turn to Heroin

Among high school seniors, nearly a third of those who misuse prescription opioids use heroin by age 35, a new study shows.

"It is a very timely study given the number of adolescents and young adults who were overprescribed opioids and who are now aging into adulthood," said study author Sean Esteban McCabe, director of the Center for...

Colon Cancer Screening Should Start at Age 45: Task Force

Average folks should start being screened at age 45 to prevent colon cancer, five years earlier than is now recommended, the nation's top preventive medicine panel says.

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force currently recommends that people aged 50 to 75 be regularly screened for colon cancer, one of a handful of cancers that can be ...

Will Expelled Droplets Spread COVID? Ventilation May Be Key

The tiny droplets that linger in the air after people talk, cough or sneeze aren't very efficient at spreading the new coronavirus, new research suggests.

Using laser technology, researchers measured the path of droplets released when people spoke or coughed.

If someone enters a room a few minutes after a person with mild CO...

Losing a Sibling a Common Tragedy in Poorer Nations, Study Finds

The loss of a sibling is all too common among young women in low- and middle-income countries, according to a new study.

The researchers found that roughly one-third of young women in those countries have experienced the death of a brother or sister by age 25. In several African nations, the rate is as high as 50%.

"There...

AHA News: Heart Attacks Linked to Pregnancy on the Rise, Most Often in Women 30 and Older

Pregnancy-related heart attacks — especially in the period after childbirth — are on the rise in women who are 30 or older, according to new research.

Although still considered uncommon, a study of nearly 11.3 million records for pregnancy, labor and postpartum cases showed that nearly three-fourths of the 913 women who had h...

People With Down Syndrome Face Higher Risk of Severe COVID-19

When adults with Down syndrome contract COVID-19, their risk of dying is much higher than the norm, a large, new study finds.

The researchers found that of over 8 million British adults, those with Down syndrome were four times more likely to be hospitalized with COVID-19, and 10 times more likely to die due to the infection.