Long-term treatment with supraphysiological doses of nandrolone decanoate reduces the sensitivity of Bezold-Jarisch reflex control of heart rate and blood pressure.

We investigated the influence of long-term treatment with supraphysiological doses of an anabolic-androgenic steroid on the Bezold-Jarisch reflex (BJR) control of heart rate (HR) and diastolic arterial pressure (DAP), and whether this treatment induced cardiac hypertrophy. Male rats were treated with nandrolone decanoate (ND) (10 mg kg(-1) body weight for 8 weeks; DECA) or vehicle (control animals; CON). After 8 weeks of treatment, the BJR was evaluated by bradycardia and hypotension responses that were elicited by serotonin administration (2-32 microg kg(-1)).

Higher physiological doses of nandrolone decanoate do not influence the Bezold-Jarish reflex control of bradycardia.

Background: We investigated the influence of short-term treatment with supraphysiological doses of an anabolic-androgenic steroid on the Bezold-Jarisch reflex (BJR) control of heart rate (HR) and whether this treatment induced cardiac hypertrophy and anabolic effects in rats.

Methods: Male rats were treated with nandrolone decanoate (10 mg/kg(-1) body weight/4 weeks; DECA) or vehicle control (CON). After 4 weeks of treatment, BJR was evaluated by bradycardia responses that were elicited by serotonin administration (2-32 microg/kg(-1)).