What is Lasix?

During a recent streak on the track, my friend, who was participating in the races for the first time, searched the daily race form when he asked me what the "L" next to a horse's name meant. I explained that this meant the horse was on Lasix. He asked me what Lasix was and I explained that it was a drug that was given to certain horses to prevent bleeding.

He started probing me with more questions about the drug, such as why some horses didn't use it, why others only used it for the first time, etc. I realized that I had been on the track for many years, and me didn't. I really don't have all the answers because I have never paid much attention to its use. I've thought for years that I've been on the track and never really understood all the details that there are probably so many of you in this category. This led me to believe that it was time to investigate.

The History of Lasix In the 1970s, the demand for horses, especially pure-bred horses, increased. New tracks, additional races and growing popularity in sports have led to much greater demand. To meet this demand, the horses were bred excessively and blindly, diluting all the talent that was available.

Racehorses have had bleeding before, but the weakening of the breed over time, combined with increased air and water pollution, has made this more obvious and problematic. Many states have rules and regulations regarding horses that bleed after a race. These rules regulate how often a horse can run after bleeding, how much pause it takes to run again, and how often a horse that has some bleeding can run at all. Owners and trainers make no money when their horse is sitting in the stable. Therefore, it has become necessary to find a way to prevent horses from bleeding after a race.

The biological science behind Lasix Exercise-Induced Pulmonary Hemorrhage (EIPH) occurs when the tiny blood vessels in a horse's lungs burst due to the stress of a breed (or when it is a prolonged strain). , Simple EIPH naturally heals over several days. Horses that develop EIPH usually experience symptoms throughout their lives.

Obvious pulmonary bleeding (PPH) occurs when a horse's lungs respond to an allergen, infection, or high blood pressure. PPH is usually more severe and requires treatment with various medications.

Inflammatory respiratory disease (IAD) has never been associated with a direct attribute. However, it is usually associated with heavy exposure and prolonged exposure to dust. Some horses experience the combined effects of EIPH, PPH and IAD.

Lasix, the trade name for the drug furosemide, is a diuretic. In other words, it is a drug that forces the expulsion of body fluids in the urine. This lowers blood pressure and reduces the effects of EIPH and the likelihood of minor bleeding.

The Lasix debate The influence of Lasix on horse racing is widespread and cannot be overlooked. Experts argue that not only does it enable poor horses, which would normally not be competitive, to participate, it also improves good horses. It is supposed to happen in different ways.

Similar to a jockey who uses a sauna to sweat excess fluids and lose body weight, Lasix forces horses to urinate excess body fluids, sometimes up to several gallons. This sharp decrease in body fluid allows horses to ride "lighter" and, as we know from disabilities, weight can make a significant difference.

Others suggest that elevated urine allows a horse to remove traces of steroids or other performance-enhancing (and illegal) drugs.

Lasix supporters point out that almost all horses bleed to some extent, most of them are very minor. The use of Lasix as a treatment has been shown to be effective and allows horses to overcome physical illnesses.

Conclusion No matter where you fail in the debate, it's impossible to ignore the effects of Lasix on horse racing. Since almost all horses bleed, it is very easy to get permission to put a horse on Lasix. The race my friend and I recently took part in Delaware Park is living proof: all horses in the 10 races that day used the drug.

The use of controlled medications like Lasix does not seem to change. However, we believe that sport must adhere to strict regulations for the use of these drugs and find new ways to test illegal performance enhancers.

Explanation of laser eye procedures

Are you frustrated that doing something in your daily life without relying on your glasses is difficult? Perhaps you are tired of having to put on your contact lenses or the irritation just gets too big? In this case, you should consider laser eye surgery to address these issues for life.

Laser eye procedures are operations that use refractive surgery to repair and recalibrate the eyes of people with conditions such as astigmatism and to treat short-sighted and far-sighted patients. The simple impression of what is really going on in practice is that a thin tab is inserted into the cornea so that the surgeon can remove part of the tissue using a specially developed laser. The cornea is light, but precisely shaped to solve your vision problems.

What happens during the laser eye procedure?

One of the advantages of laser eye treatment is that the surgery is just a daily operation. The process can only take five minutes. Some doctors can calm you down, but it's only mild and you'll be awake during the procedure.

Just because you can leave the clinic on the same day, you always need someone to help you get home safely.

Preparing for the operation is also relatively quick. The surgeon will first put a few drops in your eyes to numb them. This means that the procedure is painless, but some people may experience discomfort. Your eye is kept open with a special device to prevent your eyelids from closing and to allow the surgeon to cut the flap precisely on your cornea. They are positioned on the back under the laser. The eyes are operated on individually.

The cut is then made with the laser or a microkeratome and, surprisingly, you won't even notice it. A computer is then calibrated to match your vision problems and their severity. While the laser focuses on a specific object, it emits light under the new shutter. These legumes shape your cornea. Don't be put off by the strange smell that comes from removing your eye tissue.

Laser eye surgery can be repeated on the next eye after a short break, or some prefer to come back the following week.

As you can see, laser eye surgery is not that complicated or complicated, and we hope this article gives you the information you need to relieve some of the anxiety you may be experiencing.