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The answers to a few questions can help doctors figure out which teens are most likely to drink alcohol at an early age, a study suggests. The study included 820 teens, ages 14 through 17. All were part of a larger study of alcoholism risk in families. They were interviewed using a standard format related to alcoholism risk. They also completed a questionnaire related to behavior. The teens were asked at what age they had their first whole drink of alcohol (such as a full can of beer). Those who said they already had a complete drink of alcohol were more likely to say their best friends drank. They were also more likely to have family members with alcohol problems. And they were more likely to have social, conduct and school problems. The journal Pediatrics published the study January 7.

Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge, was recently hospitalized with a severe type of morning sickness. It’s called hyperemesis gravidarum. This form affects only 1 or 2 of every 100 pregnant women. Many pregnant women become nauseous and may vomit during the first trimester. But women with hyperemesis gravidarum have severe nausea and frequent vomiting. They become dehydrated. Their blood levels of sodium and potassium are off balance. This can endanger the woman’s health. It also can lead to pregnancy problems, such as a low birth weight baby or a baby born prematurely. For the pregnant woman, treatment often includes hospitalization. There, she is given intravenous fluids and medication to reduce nausea.

Whether you’re overweight or not may affect how well a blood pressure drug works for you, a study suggests. Researchers looked at data from a study of more than 11,000 people with high blood pressure. People were randomly divided into 2 groups. Both groups took Lotensin (benazepril). This is a type of blood pressure drug known as an ACE inhibitor. One group also took hydrochlorothiazide, a diuretic. The other group took Norvasc (amlodipine) as their second drug. This drug is known as a calcium channel blocker. Among those taking the diuretic, people whose weight was normal had the worst results. They were 68% more likely to die or have a heart attack or stroke than obese people taking a diuretic. Taking the calcium channel blocker worked better for people of normal weight. They had a 43% lower rate of death, stroke and heart attack than those who took the diuretic.

Teenagers may try to buy cigarettes less often if tobacco displays are hidden, says a study. Researchers created a video game that involved buying items at convenience stores. They asked teens to buy a drink from the cooler, a snack from the aisles, and two items of their choice at the checkout counter. On the wall behind each counter were cigarettes. In some stores, they were hidden from view. In others, they were not. When the cigarettes were hidden from view, teens were much less likely to try to buy them (by clicking on them). The study was published in the journal Pediatrics. Reuters wrote about it December 3.