Steroids - A Fatal Story

[Athletic]

A family member last night died last night. He was on the juice. A 34 year old guy with a impressive physique. It is sad that his death might of been because of his usage of this stuff.

This past Monday he had flu-like systems. That lasted for 4 days. While laying on his couch on Friday his began gasping for breath, couldn't breathe. A few family members of his were there when this happened and they called 911. While they were waiting for EMS, they were following the 911 operators insturctions and his heart was beating so hard they could feel it by touching his shoulder. The EMS rushed him to the hospital and he was pronoucenced dead shortly after.

The autopsy came back to say there was a tear in his aorta and said he had high blood pressure.

I am posting this because I have a few questions...I know nothing specific about his usage history, I only know that he was on them. The immediate family are confused with the situation and know very little about this stuff. I know only a little about its effects. Does anyone have any comments or knowledge they can share?

I would appreciate it.

[hev]

First I am sorry for your lost. It is a shame to lose anyone. Well before there time.

I would think that the first place to look would be family history. Anyone else with heart conditions. Second would be did he keep a log of what and how much he was using.

[PointCove]

"The autopsy came back to say there was a tear in his aorta and said he had high blood pressure. "

An aortic rupture is caused by trauma or an inherent weakness of the aorta. Individuals with Marfans Syndrome, the Abe Lincoln look, are prone to have a weakness of the aorta and high blood pressure or any kind of exertion would be dangerous in these individuals. More than likely he had an inherent weakness since adulthood and his weight lifting unmasked it. He was a time bomb. Something sooner or later would have caused it. There is no reason for you to feel bad about his "juice" use. You could just as easily blame it on salt, running or anything that caused the blood pressure to increase temporarily. You imply that you don't know much about steroids, but you use the term "juice" thinking that caused it. That is faulty thinking. If I were a family member as you are, I would be screened for having the same genetic problem as your family member with an aortagram. Good luck and don't blame the juice or even try to find a blame. It was a genetic weakness that affects a percentage of the population and a tragic event.

[Stonecold54]

Re: Steroids - A Fatal Story

Originally posted by Athletic
A family member last night died last night. He was on the juice. A 34 year old guy with a impressive physique. It is sad that his death might of been because of his usage of this stuff.

This past Monday he had flu-like systems. That lasted for 4 days. While laying on his couch on Friday his began gasping for breath, couldn't breathe. A few family members of his were there when this happened and they called 911. While they were waiting for EMS, they were following the 911 operators insturctions and his heart was beating so hard they could feel it by touching his shoulder. The EMS rushed him to the hospital and he was pronoucenced dead shortly after.

The autopsy came back to say there was a tear in his aorta and said he had high blood pressure.

I am posting this because I have a few questions...I know nothing specific about his usage history, I only know that he was on them. The immediate family are confused with the situation and know very little about this stuff. I know only a little about its effects. Does anyone have any comments or knowledge they can share?

I would appreciate it.

toomuch of anything can kill you. the steroids could have been the straw that broke the camels back or it might not have been. like someone else said he probably had a slight pre-disposition to it so something in his life would have triggered it eventually. the symptoms you described before he died, he might have been on some sort of stimulant (legal or illegal?). but without a complete blood workup or someone who knew what he was taking, if anything, everything we or you can say is only speculation. I feel bad for you and I am sorry for your loss. I know if I lost someone close I would be searching for answers too. Good luck to you.

[jipped genes]

very tragic story i agree with the above bros. most of us regularly have bloodwork and have our BP checked while on cycle. but with heart problems you just never know.

take john ritter for instance he was filming a television show and his aorta burst. i doubt he was useing gear.

i will pray for this man's family and loved ones

[hitmansb]

Sorry for your loss. As others have said, steroids will not cause a ruptured aorta....that requires a genetic flaw to be present. High blood pressure as a result of steroid use may have caused the aorta to rupture somewhat earlier than it may have, but then again....simply undertaking strenuous physical activity (ie a game of pick-up basketball) will do the same thing when a flaw in the aorta is present.

[PointCove]

"The autopsy came back to say there was a tear in his aorta and said he had high blood pressure. "

Another point, there is no way an autopsy could have determined that he had high blood pressure. The post is total BS.

[Shibby]

They can determine the was alot of strees on the aorta walls which can "usually" be a cause of a tear in the wall (along with the genetics). Everyone wants answers and if this is the most educated one the mortition (sp) could give and it gave the family peace of mind then so be it.

[goliath]

Originally posted by PointCove
Another point, there is no way an autopsy could have determined that he had high blood pressure. The post is total BS.

that's what i was thinking, but over time, high blood pressure will damage vessel walls and that will show up in an autopsy. but you would think there would have been earlier warning signs if his BP was that high for so long...

[PointCove]

Originally posted by goliath
that's what i was thinking, but over time, high blood pressure will damage vessel walls and that will show up in an autopsy. but you would think there would have been earlier warning signs if his BP was that high for so long...

Not to argue this too much because I think it is a total BS post as I said, but a ruptured aorta has to be thin even if the blood pressure is below normal. One of the therapies used to treat an enlarged aorta is to keep the blood pressure lower. If he had a thin aorta, he had a genetic disposition to have one. End of story.

[Athletic]

Originally posted by PointCove
"The autopsy came back to say there was a tear in his aorta and said he had high blood pressure. "

Another point, there is no way an autopsy could have determined that he had high blood pressure. The post is total BS.

Maybe the high blood pressure came from a test done not by the autopsy, but it is what a family member was told as the factors that could of played a role. I posted this because I was curious if people thought some of these things were related.

My thanks to every one else who has posted and their condolences are appreciated.

[spidey]

Steroids can raise blood pressure temporarily but it isn't usually dangerous unless the person already has a problem with high blood pressure or has a arterial defect. Most of us (the smart ones anyway) moniter our BP and get regular bloodwork done to moniter our health.

Bottom line: there is no way to know if the steroids contributed but it is possible if he had a defect in his aorta and/or high BP to begin with. Other causes are at least as suspect if not more so. Salt, stimulents like caffein, and even exercise can spike your BP and cause a rupture of a weak blood vessle as well.

The flu like symptoms puzzle me. I wonder if an illness could have exacerbated a high blood pressure problem. The only way an autopsy would detect high BP is if it had gone on for some time and damaged arterial walls. Therefore, it is likely he had high BP naturally. It is labeled the silent killer; the majority of people who have it don't even know since there aren't usually any symptoms.

My condolances for your loss.

[seymoor]

Steroids can worsen high blood presure along with many other factors such as diet and hereditary issues - stimulants such as ephedrine can cause problems too - I can assure you his use of steroids did not help him at all but it is impossible to narrow the blame entirely to steroids when we don't even know the duration nor amounts used - it is sad but some people can just have heart attacks at age 30.

[goliath]

Originally posted by PointCove
Not to argue this too much because I think it is a total BS post as I said, but a ruptured aorta has to be thin even if the blood pressure is below normal. One of the therapies used to treat an enlarged aorta is to keep the blood pressure lower. If he had a thin aorta, he had a genetic disposition to have one. End of story.

i agree with you...i was only trying to point out that prolonged high BP may show up in an autopsy. i agree 100% that there had to be an underlying condition.

[Rhinosaurus]

Sorry for your loss. This thread was pointed out to me by my husband who thought I could have some words to help you understand. First let me tell you I am a nursing student and I work as a student nurse on a cardiac unit. I also understand athletics and the use of steriods and how they affect the body. First let me assure you steriods were not the direct cause of his injury and or his high blood pressure. They can elevate a persons blood pressure but generally not to dangerous levels. Prolonged use and a lack of knowledge of how to use them can lead to cholesterol, lipid, liver, and blood sugar issues. I have no knowledge of your freinds past history or his family history but I would have to guess he had some familiar history that made him more prone to this condition. Basically your freind had what is called an anyeurism ( a weakening of the artery wall). John Ritter died of the same thing it was a freak accident unfortunatly some times these things just are not detected in time. Your family member may or may not have had high blood pressure prior to the rupture. I would just wonder if he had any symptoms before the flu like symptoms you described like heart burn, back pain, head ache (from high blood pressure)? John Ritter had no symptoms eighter before the day he passed and they said he had just had a physical. Unfortunatly these things just happen and even the most efficant physicans misses these things not for the lack of looking eighter. In fact my own grandfather had one and went to a physical and just mentioned at the time he had some back pain were they found an aortic anyurism and took him to surgery where it ruptured luckily for him he was on the table and they could repair him. Unfortunaly due to a lack of knowledge of the general public steriods are going to be the blame for your family members unfortunate death. I would be inclined to beleive he had been walking around with the condition for a while and had some history that predisposed him to it and when these things go they just go.