Testosterone treatment in chronic heart failure. Review of literature and future perspectives

Abstract

Mounting evidence suggests that hormonal deficiencies (HD) have an important role in chronic heart failure (CHF). In particular, androgen depletion is common in men with CHF and is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. This review summarizes the current understanding of the complex relationship between CHF and testosterone, focusing on evidence derived from clinical trials that have investigated the role of testosterone in the treatment of CHF. A greater comprehension of this area will allow researchers and clinicians to plan future studies that improve current strategies to reduce mortality in this high-risk population. Online databases PubMed (Medline), Web of Science, and Scopus were searched for manuscripts published prior to June 2018 using key words "heart failure" AND "testosterone" OR "anabolism" OR "hormone" OR "replacement treatment”. Manuscripts were collated, studied and carried forward for discussion where appropriate. In summary, findings from the literature demonstrate that testosterone treatment in CHF is a promising topic that requires further investigation.