Effects of furosemide on athletic performance and exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage in horses.

This research reviews the effects of the drug furosemide on racehorse performance and its use in preventing exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage (EIPH), a frequent condition in racehorses. The study investigates the prevalence of furosemide use in the racehorse industry and examines its potential impact on the horses’ athletic performance.

Understanding Furosemide and Exercise-Induced Pulmonary Hemorrhage

• The drug furosemide is often administered to racehorses to prevent or decrease the severity of Exercise-Induced Pulmonary Hemorrhage (EIPH), a condition characterized by bleeding in the lungs during intense exercise.
• However, there isn’t conclusive evidence that furosemide successfully reduces EIPH’s incidence, though some studies indicate it may lessen the pulmonary bleeding severity. The drug possibly works by lessening the exercise-induced increase in pulmonary artery and capillary pressures.
• A deep understanding of the impact of furosemide on athletic performance is needed because the drug use in racehorses raises concerns about its effect on their performance.

Furosemide Use Frequency in Racehorses

• Furosemide administration is permitted and regulated in most North American racing jurisdictions and is commonly used among Thoroughbred horses racing on dirt tracks in the United States and Canada.
• A cross-sectional study revealed that 74.3% of 22,899 Thoroughbred horses received this drug before racing. Additionally, 84% of these horses received furosemide at least once during their racing careers.
• Older horses were more likely to receive furosemide than younger ones, and mares and geldings showed a higher probability of receiving the drug than stallions. The likelihood of a horse receiving furosemide also increased with the race’s length.

Prevalence of Furosemide Use in Quarter Horse and Standardbred

• There has been limited research on the prevalence of furosemide use in Quarter Horse and Standardbred racehorses. However, available data indicates that around 19% of Quarter Horses and 22.5% of Standardbreds received furosemide before racing.
• These data, although limited, point towards the widespread use of furosemide across various racing codes in North America.