- Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva tested positive for the heart medication trimetazidine before the Olympics.
- Trimetazidine is prohibited for use under the World Anti-Doping Code.
- A subsequent report found that she also tested positive for other heart drugs that are not banned.
- Valieva ultimately placed fourth in the competition.
Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva made headlines after she tested positive for trimetazidine — a heart medication that’s banned in the United States and prohibited under the World Anti-Doping Code — before the start of the Beijing Olympics. Valieva also tested positive for other heart drugs that are not banned.
The drug is used to treat angina, a heart condition in which there’s an insufficient supply of oxygen and blood to the heart.
The drug is intended to improve blood and oxygen flow to the heart and helps it work more efficiently.
Some health experts believe the drug could allow elite athletes to train harder and build endurance, giving them an unfair advantage.
检测呈阳性的样本从Valieva taken more than 6 weeks ago, bringing up questions about why it hadn’t been tested sooner.
On Feb. 14, the Court of Arbitration for Sportannouncedthat the 15-year-old athlete has been cleared to compete on Feb. 15, although there will be no medal ceremony for Valieva until the investigation into the doping allegations is finalized.
Despite being a heavy favorite for the gold medal, Valieva ultimately placed fourth in the competition.
Trimetazidineis a drug used to treat angina and other heart-related conditions.
It increases blood flow to the heart and reduces recurrences of angina if taken on a regular basis, according to Dr. Victoria Glass, a physician with theFarr Institute.
“Trimetazidine may help do this by maintaining the heart muscle cells’ energy metabolism, thus protecting them from the repercussions of diminished oxygen supply,” Glass said.
The drug comes in pill form that’s taken two to three times a day, depending on the dosage.
Trimetazidine is not approved for use in the United States. It’s been on the World Anti-Doping Agency’slistof prohibited substances
Previously, Russian bobsledder Nadezhda Sergeeva was disqualified from the 2018 Olympic Games after testing positive for the drug 2 days before her race.
In 2014, Chinese swimmer Sun Yang was suspended for 3 months after testing positive for trimetazidine.
The drug is used to treat people who have chest pain from heart conditions like angina. It works by improving blood flow to the heart and increasing oxygen-carrying capacity.
“Trimetazidine helps the cells in the heart maintain their energy metabolism in the event of a reduced oxygen supply, increasing the efficiency of blood flow and hence improving endurance,” saidDr. Bradley Katz, a professor and physician at the University of Utah Medical Center and CEO ofAxon Optics.
Katz said trimetazidine could theoretically improve heart function in athletes, especially in endurance sports when athletes are exerting a lot of energy.
Trimetazidine can cause a range of side effects, including lowered blood pressure, vomiting and nausea, indigestion, headaches, and liver dysfunction.
“It can also be risky for those with kidney problems or movement disorders,” said Katz.
According to Glass, the drug can stay in the system for 7 hours in younger people and up to 12 hours in older adults.
Over time, it’s eliminated through urine.
After the initial report of Valieva testing positive for trimetazidine, another report came out that she also tested positive for two other heart medications — hypoxen and L- Carnatine.
Hypoxen has antioxidant properties and is intended to improve blood flow to the heart. Evidence regarding L- Carnatine’s impact on exercise has been mixed.
Unlike trimetazidine, these two drugs are not banned.
Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva tested positive for trimetazidine, a heart medication that’s banned in the United States and prohibited under the World Anti-Doping Code. It’s beenbanned by the World Anti-Doping Agency since 2014.
Valieva’s sample that tested positive was obtained in Russia on Dec. 25, 2021.
The drug is used to treat heart conditions by increasing blood and oxygen flow to the heart.
Health experts say the drug could unfairly boost oxygenation to the heart and enhance athletic performance.