Testosterone Affects Coronary Angiography

Testosterone therapy was associated with increased risk of adverse outcomes among men undergoing coronary angiography, according to a new study. P. Michael Ho, MD, PhD, of the Department of Vetarans Affairs Eastern Colorado Health Care System in Denver, and colleagues, followed 8709 veterans undergoing angiography between 2005 and 2011 with total testosterone levels below 300 ng/dL.

Of these patients, 1223 began testosterone therapy after angiography and 7486 participants took no testosterone.

Treatment included testosterone gel, patch, or injections. Overall, there were 1710 outcome events, including 748 deaths. Myocardial infarction accounted for 443 and stroke for 519 events respectively.

After 3 years of follow-up, the estimated cumulative percentages of events were 19.9% for men not receiving treatment and 25.7% for men receiving testosterone. Absolute risk difference was 5.8%. There was no difference in the effect of testosterone between those with and without coronary artery disease.

The study was published in The Journal of the American Medical Association.

–Michael Potts

Reference

Vigen R, O’Donnell CI, Baron AE, Grunwald GK, et al. Association of Testosterone Therapy With Mortality, Myocardial Infarction, and Stroke in Men With Low Testosterone Levels. JAMA. 2013;310(17):1829-1836.