Meldonium, also known as mildronate, was first developed in Latvia in the early 2000s for a condition known as ischemia, where there is a reduction of blood flow to body tissues. This can be caused by blockages of blood vessels or by a fall in blood pressure, which results in the decrease of oxygen being able to reach cells. This causes muscles to get tired quickly, and they quickly run out of oxygen. Meldonium works by restraining the biosynthesis of an amino acid called carnitine, which transfers fatty acids across membranes for them to be metabolized.
