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A new pill works as well as standard treatment to prevent blood clots in the legs and lungs, a new study finds. The study focused on treatment of venous thromboembolism, a clot that forms in a vein. These clots are most dangerous when they travel to the lungs. The clots usually are treated first with injections of the “blood thinner” heparin. This is followed by warfarin (Coumadin), which acts more slowly and is given as a pill. It’s tricky to get the right dose of warfarin. Using too much or too little can lead to bleeding or clots. The new study compared standard treatment with a newer pill, apixaban (Eliquis). It starts acting right away, so heparin is not needed. Nearly 5,400 people with a history of clots were randomly divided into 2 groups. One group got standard treatment. The other received apixaban.

Rates of injury for children riding all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) dropped in recent years, a new study finds. In all, 361,000 children under age 16 were treated in emergency rooms for these injuries between 2001 and 2010. The injury rate peaked in 2004, at 67 per 100,000 children. It dropped to 42 per 100,000 in 2010. But more than 27,500 children were still treated in that year. Boys were twice as likely to be hurt as girls. The authors said they didn’t know why the injury rate went down. They said the recent recession could have depressed ATV sales. The authors said children should not ride adult-size ATVs. They also endorsed safety measures. They said people should wear helmets and avoid paved roads. They also should not carry passengers. The journal Pediatrics published the study July 1.

Magnetic brain stimulation may help people recover speech and language after a stroke, a small study suggests. The study included 24 people who had a recent stroke. All had aphasia, difficulty with speech or language. People were randomly divided into 2 groups. One group was given transcranial magnetic stimulation. This is a low-intensity magnetic pulse. It was applied to the head on the opposite side to the area damaged in the stroke. The stimulation temporarily “shut down” brain function in that area. The purpose was to force the damaged area to work harder. Treatment lasted 20 minutes. Right afterward, people in both groups had 45 minutes of speech and language therapy. In the second group, people received sham stimulation. It was applied to a different area and did not go deep enough to stimulate the brain. This group also got speech and language therapy.