ANABOLIC STEROID USE DISORDER

Course overview

ANDROGEN USE HAS BECOME A MAJOR PUBLIC HEALTH CONCERN DUE TO THE TRANSITION OF USE OF ANDROGENS FROM STRICTLY SPORTS TO A MUCH WIDER SPECTRUM OF THE POPULATION. ANABOLIC-ANDROGENIC STEROIDS (AAS) ARE STEROIDAL ANDROGENS WHICH INCLUDE NATURAL ANDROGENS SUCH AS MALE SEX HORMONE TESTOSTERONE OR COULD BE SYNTHETIC TO MIMIC THE ACTION OF THE ENDOGENOUS MALE HORMONE. SOME PEOPLE MISUSE ANABOLIC STEROIDS FOR VARIOUS REASONS. FOR EXAMPLE, ATHLETES ABUSE ANABOLIC STEROIDS TO ENHANCE PERFORMANCE AND PROLONG ENDURANCE. NON-ATHLETIC PEOPLE MISUSE ANABOLIC STEROIDS TO INCREASE BODY WEIGHT AND LEAN MUSCLE MASS WITHOUT INCREASING FAT MASS IN THE BODY. THE POTENTIAL SIDE EFFECTS OF ANABOLIC STEROID ABUSE ARE SIGNIFICANT, AND HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS SHOULD BE AWARE OF PATIENTS AT RISK OF ANABOLIC-ANDROGENIC STEROID MISUSE. THIS ACTIVITY DESCRIBES THE EVALUATION AND MANAGEMENT OF ANABOLIC STEROID USE DISORDER AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN MANAGING PATIENTS WITH THIS CONDITION.