Atrial fibrillation and anabolic steroids.

J Emerg Med. 1999 Sep-Oct;17(5):851-7.

Atrial fibrillation and anabolic steroids.

Sullivan ML, Martinez CM, Gallagher EJ.

Department of Emergency Medicine, Jacobi Medical Center, Bronx, New York, USA.

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.