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Published on: November 6, 2015

Effects of short-term glucocorticoids on cardiovascular biomarkers

Daniel J Brotman1, John P Girod, Mario J Garcia

  • 1Department of General Internal Medicine, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, Ohio 44195, USA. dbrotma1@jhmi.edu

The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism
|March 17, 2005
PubMed
Abstract

Insights

Short-term dexamethasone impacts cardiovascular risk factors, increasing blood pressure and HDL cholesterol while decreasing heart rate and CRP. These findings highlight mixed effects on cardiovascular health.

Area of Science:

  • Endocrinology
  • Cardiovascular Medicine
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Glucocorticoids acutely affect blood pressure, inflammation, and insulin resistance.
  • Short-term impacts on other cardiovascular risk factors are not fully understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate effects of a short dexamethasone course on cardiovascular biomarkers.
  • To correlate morning cortisol suppression with cardiovascular risk markers in healthy volunteers.

Main Methods:

  • Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study in a tertiary care hospital.
  • 25 healthy males received 3 mg dexamethasone twice daily or placebo for 5 days.
  • Assessed cardiovascular risk markers, including lipids, blood pressure, and inflammatory markers.

Main Results:

  • Dexamethasone increased systolic blood pressure, weight, BNP, and HDL-C.
  • Decreased heart rate, hs-CRP, and aldosterone; attenuated nitroglycerin-mediated vasodilation.
  • No significant correlation found between cortisol response and cardiovascular risk markers.

Conclusions:

  • Short-term glucocorticoid use has mixed cardiovascular effects, both beneficial and detrimental.
  • Further research into glucocorticoid-responsive pathways is warranted.

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