Overdose deaths hit lowest level in 3 years; whooping cough spiking among unvaccinated teens; high-dose ADHD drugs linked to higher psychosis risk – Morning Medical Update

Overdose deaths hit lowest level in 3 years

While overdose deaths remain higher than pre-pandemic levels, the estimated number of drug overdose deaths in the US are now at their lowest levels in three years. According to the CDC, deaths from overdoses dropped for the first time in five years in 2023.

The CDC also reported in April the estimated number of deaths in the past 12 months was 101,168. The last month with figures that low was in May of 2021, with 100,997 deaths.

Nabarun Dasgupta, senior scientist at the Injury Prevention Research Center at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, said more emergency department visits and calls to EMS services is a result of this decrease in overdose deaths.

Whooping cough spiking among unvaccinated teens

Currently, the US is experiencing more than four times the amount of whooping cough cases compared to 2023. Tina Tan, president-elect of the Infectious Diseases Society of America, said, “With the increase in vaccine hesitancy that has been going on since the Covid-19 pandemic, we’re seeing outbreaks occurring in kids who are not vaccinated.”

Typically, babies are giving the DTaP vaccine, which helps protect against three diseases: pertussis (whooping cough), diphtheria, and tetanus. Advisors of the FDA met Friday to discuss the need for longer-lasting versions of the whooping cough vaccine, with boosters recommended every 10 years.

Last Thursday, the CDC reported that 14,569 cases of whooping cough had been confirmed so far into 2024, with these numbers signifying a return to pre-pandemic levels.

High-dose ADHD drugs linked to higher psychosis risk

Researchers from McLean Hospital in Massachusetts found that people who take higher doses of amphetamines for conditions like ADHD have an increased risk of developing psychosis or mania. In their study, researchers analyzed medical data from adults between the ages of 16 and 35, examining their treatment for conditions such as depression and anxiety at Mass General Brigham between 2005 and 2019.

The team also examined participants’ stimulant use, as well as other factors that may have influenced this use, including substance abuse. At the study’s conclusion, research showed that participants receiving any prescription amphetamine had a 63% risk of developing psychosis or mania.

This percentage increased to 81% for those taking high-dose amphetamine, considered 30 milligrams or more.