Opioid overdose deaths rose in several states during the coronavirus pandemic, according to authors of a new study who say their findings may help identify and assist at-risk people. “Our work represents the first multi-state report with detailed analyses,” said study senior author Mohammad Jalali, an assistant professor at Harvard Medical School in Boston. His…  read on >  read on >

The arteries of young people who drink stiffen sooner in their lives, which could increase their risk for heart disease and stroke later on, a British study reports. People’s arteries naturally become less elastic with age, but certain factors — including alcohol and tobacco use — can speed up the process. This study included more…  read on >  read on >

Taking a drug meant for horses and cattle to prevent or treat COVID-19 is dangerous and could be fatal, the U.S Food and Drug Administration warns. The agency has received multiple reports of people who have been hospitalized after “self-medicating with ivermectin intended for horses,” the agency said in a consumer update. Ivermectin, which is…  read on >  read on >

It’s no surprise to hear that women’s fertility wanes as their biological clock ticks away. But do men have a biological clock, too? New research shows it’s not exactly the same, but their likelihood of fathering a child does appear to decline, even with assisted reproductive technology, once they’re past age 50. Research completed among…  read on >  read on >

While every worker would prefer a fun, mentally stimulating job, new research reveals an added bonus: Such work could help prevent dementia in old age. On-the-job intellectual stimulation appears to lower levels of certain proteins that block brain cells from forming new connections — and doing so could help prevent or postpone dementia, the study’s…  read on >  read on >