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Getting a vaccine to prevent human papillomavirus (HPV) does not make teenage girls more likely to get other sexually transmitted infections (STIs), a study finds. This vaccine helps prevent HPV strains that cause genital warts and cervical cancer. It is given to girls and boys as young as age 9. But vaccination rates remain low. Some parents worry that getting a vaccine against an STI might encourage teens to have sex. Researchers wanted to see if evidence supports that belief. The study used insurance data from 2005 through 2010. It included 21,610 females, ages 12 through 18, who had received the vaccine. They were compared with 186,501 otherwise similar females who had not been vaccinated. Those who got the HPV vaccine were more likely to have STIs in the year before and the year after getting the vaccine than those who did not get vaccinated.

Treating high blood pressure quickly can make a big difference in people’s future health, a new study finds. Researchers looked at medical records of about 88,000 high blood pressure patients. They found that people benefited most from intense treatment when systolic blood pressure was at least 150 millimeters of mercury (mmHg). Once blood pressure reached this level, doctors needed to begin intensive drug treatment within about 6 weeks. If they waited longer, people faced an increased risk of heart attack, stroke or early death, the study found. Systolic blood pressure is the higher of the 2 numbers in a blood pressure reading. A level between 140 and 159 is considered to be Stage 1 high blood pressure. Some people may be getting drug treatment at a level below 150. Doctors can make treatment more intense by increasing the dose or adding a second drug.