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Sudden cardiac arrest following ventricular fibrillation attributed to anabolic steroid use in an adolescent

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 March 2016

Jana Lichtenfeld ,
Barbara J. Deal  and
Susan Crawford
Jana Lichtenfeld*
Affiliation:
Department of Pediatrics, St. Louis Children’s Hospital, St. Louis, Missouri, United States of America
Barbara J. Deal
Affiliation:
Department of Pediatrics, Division of Cardiology, Lurie Children’s Hospital, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
Susan Crawford
Affiliation:
Midwestern University, Downers Grove, Illinois, United States of America
*
Correspondence to: J. Lichtenfeld, MD, 1 Children’s Place, St. Louis, MO 63110, United States of America. Tel: +001 312 399 5262; Fax: + 001 314 454 4102; E-mail: jana.lichtenfeld@gmail.com
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Abstract

Anabolic androgenic steroids are synthetic derivatives of testosterone that promote the growth of skeletal muscles and have many recognised cardiovascular effects. We report the clinical presentation and pathological findings of an adolescent male whose sudden cardiac arrest following ventricular fibrillation was attributed to anabolic androgenic steroid use. The age of our patient reflects the usage of anabolic androgenic steroids among younger athletes and highlights the need for increased awareness among practitioners.

Keywords

Anabolic androgenic steroidshypertrophic cardiomyopathycardiac arrestventricular fibrillation
Type
Brief Reports
Information
Cardiology in the Young , Volume 26 , Issue 5 , June 2016 , pp. 996 - 998
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Copyright
© Cambridge University Press 2016 

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