Links between heart failure and prolonged usage of steroids

Prolonged usage of anabolic steroids may cause various heart dysfunctions. It increases risks related to heart failure. These statements have been noted in a research which has been presented in Circulation: Heart Failure, an American Heart Association journal.
Anabolic-androgenic steroids act like the hormone testosterone which occurs naturally and that is responsible for development of male sex characteristics.
The leader of the study Aaron L. Baggish says that in addition to the fact that anabolic steroids are illicit, they are associated with unwanted results for health. He notices that it is the first time, when negative influence of prolonged intake of steroids on heart is clearly recognized.
The study demonstrated that the left ventricle in steroid users was substantially weaker during contraction than in those who didn’t administer steroids.
A left ventricle which acts properly pumps out 55-70 % of the blood which fills the heart.
 12 consumers of steroids were enrolled in the study. It was shown that the left ventricles of 83 % these steroid users acted improperly: they pumped out less than 55 % of the blood.   Among the examined non-users only one person suffered from problems related to the function of the left ventricle.
The research displayed that ventricle relaxation among consumers of steroids was reduced by about half. It was 0, 93 among steroids users; 1, 80 – among non-users. The structure of the left ventricle was the same in both groups: steroid users and non-users.
It was used the technique “Doppler echocardiography” for evaluation of function and structure of the left ventricle. This technique uses ultrasound for creation of moving pictures of the heart and its blood flow.
 The group of steroid users included twelve weightlifters at the age of about 40 that noted that they took circa 675 mg of steroids per week for 9 years. Another group included weightlifters that didn’t use steroids. Both groups had similar physical activity and the same risks connected with heart troubles. But they had differences in body mass and muscle size. The users of steroids had more muscular physiques.
However small number of steroid users has been included in the research, the results have displayed that there is a strong link between application of steroids and heart impairment.
The scientists decided to conduct further researches in order to support the results of this study.
Baggish and his colleagues hope that people will recognize that administration of steroids can cause heart problems and different unexplained heart dysfunctions in young people.