Meldonium - also known as Mildronate or Mildronats - was developed in Latvia and Usakovs referenced the fact in a cheeky tweet that provoked an immediate response from readers.
"A new strategy for city advertising. Unofficial, of course," Usakovs joked before linking to a 1950s style poster displaying various maidens in a state of rude health after enjoying the benefits of the heart medication.
Jaunā pieeja pilsētas reklāmai. Neoficiāla, protams :) pic.twitter.com/S7hXOZrtTd
— Nils Ušakovs (@nilsusakovs) March 15, 2016
News that sports stars seem to be taking Meldonium as a performance enhancing drug have created a certain degree of disagreement within Latvian society, where until now development of the heart drug was regarded as a source of considerable national pride.
Former Economics Minister Vyacheslavs Dombrovskis even went so far as to declare "Je suis Mildronats" in a recent newspaper column defending use of the drug, apparently referencing the slogan used after terror attacks in Paris.
