Anabolic steroids: implications for the nurse practitioner

Anabolic steroids are being used by athletes in a wide variety of sports in efforts to enhance their athletic performances. Steroid abuse is complex to evaluate due to the highly emotional subject matter and the limitations in researching anabolic steroids. This article has been written to heighten the practitioner's awareness of the problem of "sports doping" with anabolic steroids. It will provide practical information on possible consequences of steroid use and outline essential information to obtain through the history, physical exam and laboratory studies. Intervention strategies based on the three levels of prevention are described. With awareness of the problem of sports doping and knowledge of how to deal with it in primary care, the nurse practitioner can enhance the health care provided to aspiring athletes, athletes and retired athletes.