Heart and androgens
Smeets, L.; Legros, J.J.
Revue Medicale de Liege 59(7-8): 439-444
2004
ISSN/ISBN: 0370-629X PMID: 15493157 Document Number: 568761
Beyond sexual function regulation, male steroids are operative in several physiologic homeostastic systems including the cardiovascular system. By ways of specific androgen receptors,testosterone can mediate cardiomyocyte trophycity, in physiologic states as in diseases involving cardiac hypertrophy. Androgenic hormones also regulate pathologic levels of inflammatory cytokines as 11-6 or TNF, in advanced heart failure. They also mediate vascular resistance with, in vitro and in vivo, proved coronary vasodilatation. Reduced free testosterone serum levels (age-mediated or in premature coronary artery disease patients (CAD) promote a pro-atherogenic lipid profile expressed as HDL-cholesterol decrease and up-regulation of triglycerids levels). The latter observation has relevant clinical significance for evaluation and treatment of CAD disease. As most of normal and diseased cardiovascular system functions are influenced by androgens, we can foresee an increasing interest for further evaluation of their physiologic implications as well as for large and rigourous studies of their therapeutic potential in two leading disabling pathologies, CAD and heart failure.