Effect of testosterone cypionate on postexercise ST segment depression.

A randomised double blind study was carried out with 50 men who had ST segment depression of 0.1 mV or more after a modified two-step exercise test. Rate and duration of exercise were the same for the last of each subject's several pretreatment tests as for his tests after 4 and 8 weeks of treatment with placebo or testosterone cypionate, 200 mg, intramuscularly weekly. The sum of ST segment depression in leads II, V4, V5, and V6 taken immediately, and 2, 4, and 6 minutes after exercise did not change significantly after 4 or 8 weeks of placebo treatment, but did decrease by 32 per cent (P less than 0.0001) and 51 per cent (P less than 0.0001) after 4 and 8 weeks, respectively, of testosterone cypionate treatment. The mechanism by which testosterone cypionate treatment results in lessened postexercise ST segment depression is not established.