Androgens and Cardiovascular Disease

The document from June 2003 discusses the role of androgens in cardiovascular disease and challenges the notion that estrogen protects premenopausal women from such diseases, as there is no significant change in cardiovascular death rates at the age of menopause. It suggests that early life androgen exposure may predispose males to earlier onset of atherosclerosis. The paper emphasizes the need for further research into androgen receptor coregulators, nongenomic androgen effects, and tissue-specific metabolic activation of androgens. Observational studies indicate that lower testosterone levels are associated with cardiovascular disease in men, hinting at a potential preventive role for testosterone therapy. Short-term studies have shown testosterone to modestly improve cardiac ischemia, but it has no beneficial effects on peripheral arterial disease and has not been evaluated for cerebrovascular disease. The document also notes that erectile dysfunction, often caused by atherosclerosis, is a predictor of cardiovascular disease, and addressing this could improve men's motivation for cardiovascular disease prevention and treatment.