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Androgen Deficiency in Heart Failure

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Abstract

Androgen deficiency is a hormonal disorder that is frequently observed in advanced chronic conditions. A reduction of androgen blood levels may be cause or consequence of the disease, or both. Typical symptoms, such as fatigue or muscle weakness, may be particularly aggravated in heart failure, and disease severity may be indirectly affected by low levels of androgen. Recently, androgen replacement therapy has been suggested as a new treatment option of heart failure symptoms, and placebo-controlled pilot trials showed a modest improvement of physical performance. However, testosterone replacement in elderly patients is not without risks, and the benefit–risk ratio for such adjunct treatment is unclear. This review focuses on the general effects of androgens on the cardiovascular system and outlines expected benefits and suspected side effects of testosterone replacement therapy in patients with heart failure.

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Acknowledgements

Dr. Gülmisal Güder was supported by the German Competence Network Heart Failure funded by the German Ministry of Education and Research (FKZ 01GI0205) and the German Heart Foundation (Deutsche Herzstiftung). This work was further supported by grants from the Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung (BMBF01 EO1004). The funding sources did not influence the content of the manuscript.

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No potential conflicts of interest relevant to this article were reported.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Internal Medicine I, University Hospital Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany

    Gülmisal Güder, Bruno Allolio, Christiane E. Angermann & Stefan Störk

  2. Comprehensive Heart Failure Center, University of Würzburg, Straubmühlweg 2A, D-97078, Würzburg, Germany

    Gülmisal Güder, Bruno Allolio, Christiane E. Angermann & Stefan Störk

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  1. Gülmisal Güder
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Correspondence to Stefan Störk.

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Güder, G., Allolio, B., Angermann, C.E. et al. Androgen Deficiency in Heart Failure. Curr Heart Fail Rep 8, 131–139 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11897-011-0053-9

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