South African Furosemide Efficacy Study (SAFE)

  To Determine the efficacy of furosemide in the treatment of Exercise Induced Pulmonary Haemorrhage (EIPH) in Thoroughbred horses  

The study entitled: "The efficacy of furosemide (Lasix) in the treatment of Exercise Induced Pulmonary Haemorrhage (EIPH) in Thoroughbred horses" has been jointly funded by the Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation and The Racing Medication and Testing Consortium. The principal investigators are Prof Ken Hinchcliff (Dean of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at Melbourne University, Melbourne, Australia), Dr Paul Morley (Colorado State University) and Prof Alan Guthrie (Director of the Equine Research Centre at the Faculty of Veterinary Science of the University of Pretoria). For convenience we refer to the study as the SAFE Study (South African Furosemide Efficacy Study). In addition to the United States funding, an equivalent amount of support is being provided by high profile private sponsors from the racing industry in South Africa that are committed to the improvement of horseracing through research. 

This study has been made possible by the excellent cooperation we have received from the National Horseracing Authority, Phumelela Gaming and Leisure (Pty) Ltd, the Racing Association and owners and trainers. We believe that this study will provide data which will, for the first time, critically evaluate the efficacy of Lasix to reduce or prevent EIPH (bleeders) and provide racing administrators with the necessary information on which to base rational decisions regarding the use of lasix.