Atrial fibrillation and anabolic steroids

Mack L. Sullivan, Charles M. Martinez, E. John Gallagher

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

80 Scopus citations

Abstract

A young male bodybuilder, consuming large doses of anabolic steroids (AS), presented to the Emergency Department (ED) with symptomatic rapid atrial fibrillation (AF). Echocardiogram revealed significant septal hypokinesis, and posterior and septal wall thickness at the upper limit of normal for highly trained athletes. The atrial fibrillation had not recurred at 10 weeks after discontinuation of AS use. Consumption of these agents in athletes has been associated with hypertension, ischemic heart disease, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, and sudden death.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)851-857
Number of pages7
JournalJournal of Emergency Medicine
Volume17
Issue number5
DOIs
StatePublished - Sep 1999

Keywords

  • Anabolic steroids
  • Atrial fibrillation
  • Dysrhythmia

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Emergency Medicine

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