Acute cardiovascular responses to resistance exercise in anabolic steroids users: A preliminary investigation

Objectives: Anabolic steroid (AS) use has increased in recent years, but the cardiovascular consequences for users is not fully understood. Equipment and Methods: Resistance trained males (AS = 7, age = 29 ± 5; NAS = 6, age = 25 ± 1 yrs) undertook a resistance exercise session with echocardiographic measures and cardiac biomarkers taken pre and post exercise (cTnI, NT-proBNP). Results: A significant decrease in early diastolic tissue velocity (E’) (AS = 13 ± 1 vs 11 ± 3, NAS = 13 ± 2 vs12 ± 1 cm.s⁻¹), late diastolic tissue velocity (A’) (AS = 9 ± 2 vs 8 ± 1, NAS = 8 ± 1 vs 8 ± 1 cm.s⁻¹), E’:A’ (AS = 1.63 vs 1.21, NAS = 1.71 vs 1.62) and E:A (AS = 1.61 vs 1.19, NAS = 1.63 vs 1.29) with an increase in late dia < stolic filling velocity (A) (AS = 53 ± 8 vs 65 ± 11, NAS = 51 ± 3 vs 57 ± 9 cm.s⁻¹) were seen in both groups post-exercise. A significant decrease in left ventricular end-systolic volume (LVESV) (AS = 48 ± 16 vs 45 ± 12, NAS = 51 ± 9 vs 43 ± 11 ml) was seen post-exercise with maintenance of ejection fraction (EF). There was a significant group effect on diastolic blood pressure (BP) (AS = 74 ± 11 vs 66 ± 7, NAS = 68 ± 6 vs 58 ± 2 mmHg) and basal systolic rotation rate (AS = −61.69 ± 18.38 vs −86.65 ± 17.99, NAS = −63.69 ± 14.72 vs −56.50 ± 2.15.s−¹). Conclusion: Despite significant reductions in diastolic measures, with maintenance of systolic function, there was no altered cardiovascular response in the AS users following resistance exercise.