Functions of the left ventricle may be affected by prolonged usage of steroids

Prolonged administration of anabolic steroids can cause different heart troubles. It enhances dangers related to heart failure. These statements have been noted in a study which has been presented in Circulation: Heart Failure, an American Heart Association journal.
Anabolic-androgenic steroids act like the hormone testosterone that occurs naturally and that is responsible for development of male sex features.
The leader of the research Aaron L. Baggish states that in addition to the factor that anabolic steroids are illegal, they are linked with undesirable effects for health. He notices that it is the first time, when negative influence of long-term intake of steroids on heart is clearly recognized.
The study manifested that the left ventricle in consumers of steroids was significantly weaker during contraction than in those that didn’t use steroids.
A left ventricle which acts correctly pumps out 55-70 % of the blood which fills the heart.
 12 users of steroids were implicated in the study. It was manifested that the left ventricles of 83 % these steroid users worked improperly: they pumped out less than 55 % of the blood.   Among the examined non-users only one person experienced disorders related to the function of the left ventricle.
The research demonstrated that ventricle relaxation among consumers of steroids was lowered by circa half. It was 0, 93 among consumers of steroids; 1, 80 – among non-users. The structure of the left ventricle was the same in both groups: consumers of steroids and non-users.
It was applied the method “Doppler echocardiography” for examination 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 12 weightlifters at the age of about 40 that noted that they took about 675 mg of steroids a week for 9 years. The other group included weightlifters that didn’t administer steroids. Both groups had the same physical activity and similar risks linked with heart problems. But they had differences in body weight and muscle size. The steroid users had more muscular appearance.
However small number of steroid users has been examined, the results have displayed that there is a strong connection between intake of steroids and heart impairment.
The specialists decided to conduct further studies in order to support the results of this study.
Baggish and his colleagues suppose that people will realize that application of steroids can cause heart problems and different unexplained heart dysfunctions in young people.