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Evidence of altered cardiac electrophysiology following prolonged androgenic anabolic steroid use

  • Nicholas Sculthorpe
    ,
  • Fergal Grace
    ,
  • Peter Jones
    ,
  • Bruce Davies
Research Output: Contribution to journal Article Peer-review

Open access

Abstract

The non-therapeutic use of androgenic anabolic steroids (AAS) is associated with sudden cardiac death. Despite this, there is no proposed mechanism by which this may occur. Signal-averaged ECG (SAECG) allows the assessment of cardiac electrical stability, reductions of which are a known risk factor for cardiac arrhythmias. The aim of the present study was to examine cardiac electrical stability using SAECG in a group (n = 15) of long-term AAS users (AAS use 21.3 ± 3.1 years) compared with a group (n = 15) of age-matched weight lifters (WL) and age-matched sedentary controls [C (n = 15)]. AS, WL and C underwent SAECG analysis at rest and following an acute bout of exercise to volitional exhaustion. SAECGs were analyzed using a 40 Hz filter and were averaged over 200 beats. Results indicate a non-significant trend for increased incidence of abnormal SAECG measures at rest in AS (P = 0.55). However, AS demonstrated a significantly higher incidence of abnormalities of SAECG following exercise than C or WL (P < 0.05). In conclusion, the higher incidence of abnormal SAECG measurements immediately post-exercise in the AAS group places them at a greater risk of sudden death. The present study provides a strong contraindication to the use of AAS.

Publication Information

Output type

Research Output: Contribution to journal Article Peer-review

Original language

English

Pages from-to (Number of pages)

Pages 239-243

Journal (Volume, Issue Number)

Cardiovascular Toxicology (Volume 10, Issue 4)

Publication milestones

  • Published - 31/10/2010

Publication status

Published - 31/10/2010

ISSN

1530-7905

External Publication IDs

  • handle.net: 10547/223812
  • Scopus: 78649904984

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