[Effect of long term systemic steroid therapy on the cardiac muscle]. / Wplyw przewleklej systemowej kortykosteroidoterapii na serce.

ABSTRACT

In asthmatic patients treated on a long term basis with steroids echocardiographic examination of the heart disclosed morphological and functional changes in the heart muscle. Such changes were not found in asthmatic treated occasionally with steroids. Differences between both groups depended on decreased contractibility of the heart muscle and concentric hypertrophy of the left ventricle present in asthmatic treated on a long term basis with systemic steroids.