June 4, 2020

No Evidence Marijuana Raises Stroke Risk

WEDNESDAY, June 3, 2020 -- Whether pot use increases the risk of stroke has been hotly debated, and now a new study adds to evidence that it doesn't.

"Our observational study looked specifically at recent cannabis use by reviewing drug testing data for people admitted to the hospital. While more research is needed with larger numbers of people, our study lends support to the studies showing that cannabis use does not increase the risk of stroke," said researcher Dr. Carmela San Luis, of the University of Mississippi in Jackson.

June 3, 2020

When a Handgun Is in the Home, Suicide Risk Quickly Rises

WEDNESDAY, June 3, 2020 -- Handgun owners are at substantially heightened risk of suicide in the years after buying their first gun, a large new study finds.

The study of more than 26 million California residents found that first-time handgun owners were nearly four times more likely to die by suicide in the coming years versus non-owners.

June 3, 2020

'Gold Standard' Clinical Trial Finds Hydroxychloroquine Won't Prevent COVID-19

WEDNESDAY, June 3, 2020 -- Hydroxychloroquine, the malaria drug touted and reportedly used by President Donald Trump as a preventative for COVID-19, appears not to have lived up to its hype, a new study shows.

Unlike some prior studies, this new trial was a "gold standard" prospective, randomized clinical trial. It found that hydroxychloroquine could not prevent COVID-19 any better than a sugar pill.

June 3, 2020

Many Protests Happening in Cities With High Numbers of New COVID-19 Cases

WEDNESDAY, June 3, 2020 -- A new review shows that protests have now unfolded in every one of the 25 U.S. communities with the highest concentrations of new COVID-19 cases, stoking fears of a spike in new infections.

The Associated Press analysis also found that some cities -- Minneapolis, Chicago, Washington, D.C., and Los Angeles among them -- have witnessed protests on multiple days. In some communities, such as Minneapolis where the protests started, the number of people hospitalized with COVID-19 has also been rising, the news agency added.

June 3, 2020

Case Study Examines What's Behind Severe Kids' Illness After COVID-19

WEDNESDAY, June 3, 2020 -- Four of the earliest U.S. cases of a rare inflammatory syndrome in kids with COVID-19 are described in a study that offers insight into the condition.

The four children -- aged 5, 10, 12 and 13 -- arrived at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City with what is known as exaggerated cytokine storm, an abnormal autoimmune response to the new coronavirus.

June 3, 2020

Dogs Do Want to Rescue Trapped Owners, Experiments Show

WEDNESDAY, June 3, 2020 -- Lassie desperately trying to get Timmy out of the well isn't a myth -- your dog really wants to save you, a new study suggests.

"It's a pervasive legend," said researcher Joshua Van Bourg, a graduate student in psychology at Arizona State University in Tempe. "The difficult challenge is figuring out why they do it."

June 3, 2020

Living Near Oil, Gas Wells Tied to Low Birth Weight Infants

WEDNESDAY, June 3, 2020 -- Pregnant women who live near active oil and gas wells may be at risk for having low birth weight infants, a new study suggests.

Researchers analyzed nearly 3 million births to Californians living within six miles of an oil or gas well between 2006 and 2015.

June 3, 2020

People Are Avoiding the ER During COVID-19 Crisis at Their Peril: Study

WEDNESDAY, June 3, 2020 -- Visits to U.S. emergency departments are down by 42% compared to the same time last year, and that's not good news, researchers report.

Fears of contracting the new coronavirus while visiting the ER are keeping people away, experts say.

June 3, 2020

At-Home Gene Test for Breast, Ovarian Cancers Looks Effective

WEDNESDAY, June 3, 2020 -- Screening for breast and ovarian cancer genes might be added to the list of medical tests that can be safely and effectively done from home, new research suggests.

The study looked at screening for BRCA1, BRCA2 and other gene mutations linked to an increased risk of breast and ovarian cancer. Women with a BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation have as much as a 7 in 10 chance of getting breast cancer by age 80, according to the American Cancer Society.

June 3, 2020

Similar to Adults, Obesity Raises Kids' Odds for Severe COVID-19

WEDNESDAY, June 3, 2020 -- If a child is infected with the new coronavirus, being obese appears to greatly raise the odds for developing a severe form of COVID-19, a new study finds.

The report was based on 50 cases of pediatric COVID-19 severe enough to require admission to a New York City hospital.