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Published on: April 6, 2017
Performance-Enhancing Effects of Inhaled Medications: Implications for Heart, Muscle Function, and Doping Detection
Riccardo Cricco1,2, Andrea Segreti1,2, Emanuele Stirpe3
1Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Campus Bio-Medico, Via Alvaro del Portillo 200, 00128 Rome, Italy.
Inhaled bronchodilators may enhance athletic performance but pose health risks and doping concerns. Current detection methods struggle with individual variability and drug properties, necessitating improved analytical techniques for fair sports.
Area of Science:
- Sports Medicine
- Pharmacology
- Anti-Doping Science
Background:
- Inhaled medications like bronchodilators are used for respiratory conditions.
- Their use in sports is scrutinized for potential performance-enhancing effects.
- Supratherapeutic use raises concerns about cardiovascular risks and doping violations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the mechanisms of inhaled drugs on cardiovascular and muscular systems.
- To summarize doping cases involving inhaled medications.
- To evaluate current detection methods and identify limitations.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of scientific articles and doping cases.
- Analysis of pharmacological effects on athletic performance.
- Evaluation of analytical techniques for drug detection.
Main Results:
- Bronchodilators can improve lung function, oxygen delivery, and muscle contractility.
- Concerns include cardiovascular risks (tachyarrhythmias) and potential muscle gains.
- Detection challenges arise from inter-individual variability, short half-lives, and enantiomeric differences.
Conclusions:
- Inhaled drug use in sports presents a complex challenge balancing therapeutic needs with anti-doping regulations.
- Current detection methods require refinement to address pharmacokinetic and analytical complexities.
- Future strategies should focus on advanced modeling and enantioselective assays to ensure fair competition and athlete safety.
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