AIIMS Doctor Warn on BP Drug: Haryana is the land of wrestlers. Wrestlers often sweat in the soil here. Wrestling is a sport in which wrestlers have to fight for an hour. This requires strength and tremendous stamina. After crossing the age of 25, stamina and strength gradually starts decreasing in every person. But this is a game in which there is pressure to stay in the arena for a long time and win. Under this pressure, a player from Haryana learns from somewhere that medicine that increases BP increases stamina. Then what was left. He kept taking this injection often and kept showing his strength and stamina. But one day he fell unconscious. He had to be admitted to AIIMS where it was found that there was a blockage in his heart. This happened because he was doing very dangerous work. AIIMS doctors have given a strict warning to those who do so.
What effect does this medicine have on the body?
First know what this medicine is. According to the news of Indian Express, when someone has very low BP, then this injection is given in very emergency situations. When BP has gone down too much or a person with low BP needs to undergo an operation, then the doctor gives this injection. Mephentermine sulphate is present in this medicine. Doctors say that this medicine increases the stress hormone called norepinephrine in the body. This hormone stimulates the brain and heart to work faster. Due to this, blood pressure, heartbeat and the amount of blood pumped by the heart increases for some time. Due to this, the person feels that he has got a lot of strength and stamina, but the brain gives such false consolation for some time. This provokes misuse of this medicine. The person who had this problem told that I have been wrestling for 20 years. People around used to say that it is a power booster, it increases stamina, alertness and aggression. If you go to a medical store and say that you want to perform better, they give you this medicine.
How did the patient recover?
After several tests like CT scan and MRI, doctors understood that long-term misuse of stimulant drugs had put constant pressure on the heart, which increased the risk of blood clot formation and weakened the heart’s pumping power. Dr. Saurabh Augustam, Assistant Professor in the Department of Cardiology, AIIMS Delhi. According to PTI, echocardiography of the wrestler revealed that his heart muscles have become weak and there is a large blood clot in his leg. Dr. Augustum explains that a clot formed in the left part of the heart can reach other parts of the body, such as the legs, through the arteries. We started treating him with heart failure medicines and blood thinners, which improved his condition significantly. For Dr. Augustum, this is the third case of misuse of mephentermine, whereas very few such cases are recorded in the medical world.
may lead to death
Doctors told the wrestler that his heart’s working capacity had reduced to about 20%. Usually such low capacity is seen in severe heart failure. Dr. Ambuj Roy, Cardiology Professor, AIIMS Delhi told The Indian Express that after taking this medicine one feels strength in the body, but it is borrowed strength. You are forcing the heart to work beyond its safe limits, which causes damage to it. According to Dr. Ambuj Roy, this is the biggest danger. They say, mephentermine can cause very high blood pressure, irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia), stroke, heart failure and even sudden death. Especially when it is taken repeatedly or during heavy physical exertion. This medicine can cause serious heart disease even in those youth who have any previous heart related problems.
How is medicine misused?
Mephentermine sulphate is a licensed medicine and is not included in the list of narcotic drugs. Therefore it does not come under NDPS law. On paper, it is a medicine available on doctor’s prescription, but due to lack of proper monitoring, it is also available without prescription in many medical stores. In comparison to anabolic steroids or narcotic drugs, people do not take the risk of this drug to the heart as seriously. Therefore there is no strict control on this. Although it is banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), its misuse continues due to lack of strict monitoring of its sale and use at the general level.
Why the need for strict rules?
Mephentermine is a banned drug under sports regulations. If it is found in a player’s urine test, he can be disqualified, fined and banned from competition for several years. Yet, its easy availability from local medical stores makes it difficult to enforce regulations. The wrestler also admits, it remains in the body for a long time and can be detected in the test. If it comes in the report then career can be over. Despite this, many players take risks because they are not fully aware of its serious health consequences.Dr. Roy believes that sports authorities should take strict action on this. He says, it is necessary to keep medicines in strict category, regularly check medical stores and make players, trainers and doctors aware. As its misuse is increasing, consideration should be given to bringing it from Schedule H to Schedule X.
