Effect of oral administration of testosterone on brachial arterial vasoreactivity in men with coronary artery disease

High androgen levels in men have been regarded as a risk factor for coronary artery disease (CAD).(1) However, it has recently been demonstrated that supplements of androgens inhibit atheroma formation in castrated male animals, suggesting that testosterone may be antiatherosclerotic.(2) In men with angina pectoris, a significant inverse correlation was found between plasma testosterone levels and the extent of CAD, demonstrating that low testosterone levels could be a risk factor for CAD. Other reports suggest that testosterone replacement therapy in men with CAD has a beneficial effect on angina pectoris(4,5) and exercise-induced ST-segment depression.(6,7) Another study showed that testosterone enhanced endothelium-independent coronary artery dilation and flow-mediated brachial arterial vasoreactivity in men with CAD.(8,9) In this study, we assessed the effects of oral testosterone administration on brachial arterial vasoreactivity in men with CAD.