Is heart block described in people using growth hormone and insulin or anabolic steroids?/nA 23-yea

Fråga: Is heart block described in people using growth hormone and insulin or anabolic steroids?

A 23-year-old man, previously healthy, had used metandrostenolone for four years when exercising body building but discontinued the usage one year ago. Two months ago the patient used insulin and growth hormone for four days when exercising body building. The patient was admitted to the hospital due to chest pain since two hours. ECG showed ST-segment elevation and thrombolysis was given. No signs of myocardial infarction were observed. However, a left-sided hypertrophy of the heart was seen and suspected to be related to the exercising and atrioventricular block II of type one during daytime and type two during the night was seen. Ultrasonography of the heart, treadmill test and coronary arteriography were all normal.

Sammanfattning: There is no information found concerning atrioventricular block in treatment with growth hormone and insulin, or anabolic steroids.

Svar: A search in Medline, Drugline, Swedish Adverse Drug Reaction Advisory Committee (SADRAC):s side effect register and pharmacological handbooks has not revealed any information concerning atrioventricular block in treatment with growth hormone and insulin, or anabolic steroids.

However, according to previous Drugline documents cardiomyopathy, heart failure and hypertrophy of the heart muscle have been described in case reports concerning men using anabolic steroids (1). 1 Drugline nr 10729 (year 1994)