Reuters Health News Summary

Following is a summary of current health news briefs. Opioid prescriptions for pets surge, mirroring human crisis

Many more Americans may be getting opioids for their pets, and veterinarians appear to be prescribing increasingly potent versions of these drugs to animals, a small study suggests. The researchers examined data on opioid tablets and patches dispensed or prescribed by 134 veterinarians at an academic small-animal hospital in Philadelphia from 2007 to 2017. Over the decade, the amount of opioids used for creatures like rabbits, birds and reptiles surged 41 percent even though visits to the hospital increased by only 13 percent. Treating kids’ sleep apnea may keep them safer on the street

Kids with obstructive sleep apnea may be at lower risk of accidents with oncoming vehicles during the day if they use positive airway pressure, or PAP, therapy at night, a new study suggests. Importantly, children must consistently stick to the PAP treatment plan for it to make a difference, the study authors report in the journal Sleep Health. Pfizer Japan recalls high blood pressure drug over cancer-causing impurity

The Japanese subsidiary of Pfizer Inc is recalling a drug for high blood pressure which was found to contain a carcinogenic substance in its active ingredient valsartan, the drugmaker said on Friday. More than 763,000 tablets of the drug Amvalo, manufactured from April to July in Mylan Laboratories Limited in India, are the subject of recall, Pfizer Japan Inc said in a statement, adding there were no reports of any damage to health. Seven mumps cases confirmed at Houston ICE detention facility

Seven adult detainees at a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention facility in Houston have been diagnosed with mumps, but the contagious disease is contained, the city's health department said on Saturday. "Since these individuals were isolated inside the facility during the period they were infectious, we do not anticipate these cases posing a threat to the community," Dr. David Persse, Houston's local health authority and emergency medical services medical director, said in a statement. ICE's Houston Contract Detention Facility houses approximately 950-1,000 adults.