Russian medical experts have warned that drinking a mixture of energy drinks and Corvalol, a popular viral trend on social media, can trigger cardiac arrest.
Cardiologist Kristina Wulf and neurologist Tatyana Mozolevskaya issued the health warning in statements to Russian news outlet RT after instructional guides for the concoction circulated online.
Wulf explained that Corvalol contains phenobarbital, a pharmaceutical agent that acts as a central nervous system depressant with relaxing and sedative properties. Combining phenobarbital with high concentrations of caffeine, taurine, and guarana found in commercial energy drinks can disturb heart rhythms or cause unpredictable cardiovascular reactions.
An overdose of the active ingredients can lead to severe physiological complications, Wulf reported. Patients may experience mental confusion, agitation, dizziness, severe headaches, respiratory failure, and impaired reflexes, alongside the potential development of long term drug dependency.
Physiological strain on the heart
Mozolevskaya cautioned that mixing heavy sedatives with powerful stimulants subjects the human body to conflicting chemical signals. She noted that the body is left unable to determine whether it should sleep or prepare for physical activity.
Consequently, the heart operates under extreme overload, raising the likelihood of tachycardia, arrhythmia, and sudden blood pressure spikes. Mozolevskaya warned that the central nervous system quickly becomes depleted, bringing on anxiety, muscle tremors, and acute panic reactions.
In the most severe cases of poisoning, the neurologist stated that patients could fall into a coma or suffer sudden cardiac arrest. The danger of fatal heart failure is particularly elevated if the individual engages in sports or maintains an active lifestyle while taking the cocktail.
Risks among young people
The medical alerts follow reports that Russian schoolchildren have been taking the Corvalol and energy drink mixture as an accessible substitute for alcohol. According to Russian news outlet Mash, adults across multiple regions of the country have recently discovered discarded empty medicine bottles on grounds surrounding local schools.
Young people on social media platforms have repeatedly posted tutorials outlining the exact ratios required to prepare the mixture. Corvalol is an over-the-counter heart and sedative medication traditionally used across Eastern Europe to treat stress, anxiety, and sleeplessness.
Energy drinks are widely sold carbonated beverages designed to boost energy through high caffeine levels and botanical stimulants like guarana. Medical professionals emphasize that pairing these alerting agents with barbiturate sedatives creates a volatile combination that poses severe risks to adolescent cardiac health.
