Â鶹ŮÓÅ

The number of fentanyl seizures by law enforcement more than quadrupled between 2017 and 2023, with researchers finding the drug has continued to entrench itself in the country’s illicit drug supply. Seizures of fentanyl in the U.S. have followed an exponential upward trend since 2017, according to data from the federal High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) program. (Choi, 5/13)

The study was led by researchers who participate in the National Drug Early Warning System, a federal program that monitors drug seizures in 33 so-called High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas across the country. The data comes from a mix of federal, state and local law enforcement organizations. It does not include seizures made by U.S. Customs and Border Protection. (Bowman, 5/13)

The Food and Drug Administration warned consumers Monday to not use Cue Health’s at-home Covid-19 tests. This follows an FDA warning letter to the company last week that said Cue was not following the conditions stipulated in the emergency use authorizations for its tests. (Trang, 5/13)

If you’ve noticed people talking about managing their cortisol lately, you’re not alone. Chatter about the stress hormone has surged. Doctors say patients are bringing it up more often, and Google searches for how to lower cortisol reached a high in April. Wellness influencers warn about having too much cortisol or too little, and some promote supplements that claim to help. (Reddy, 5/13)

Do you know how old your heart is? And does it even matter? More online calculators, wearable devices and medical tests are attempting to estimate your heart’s age. The companies and organizations behind the tools say that having insight into your heart health can prompt you to make lifestyle changes to help stave off cardiovascular disease down the road. (Janin, 5/13)

A larger proportion of Americans are worried about their mental health now than at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a new survey from CVS Health. In March, the nation’s biggest pharmacy chain partnered with Morning Consult to poll 2,202 U.S. adults. In survey results released Thursday, about 65% of respondents said they’ve experienced concerns about their own mental health or that of friends and family, compared to 59% in April 2022 and 50% in April 2020. (Leake, 5/14)

Deciding whether to withdraw life support after a severe traumatic brain injury is extremely difficult. Loved ones are faced with balancing their hopes for recovery with the desire not to prolong suffering, and clinician insight is essential. With the support of critical care physicians, most decisions on whether to end life support are made within 72 hours of hospitalization. But a new paper published Monday in the Journal of Neurotrauma suggests waiting a little longer — and gathering more data — may be beneficial. (Merelli, 5/14)