Androgen-induced vasorelaxation: a potential vascular protective effect.

The incidence of morbidity and mortality due to cardiovascular disease is well known to be higher in men than in women. For many years, experimental and clinical studies have focused on the role of androgens in cardiovascular pathology. The clinical implications of androgen deficiency as well as the molecular mechanism of their action have not been well established yet. However, an increasing amount of evidence suggests that androgens may have beneficial effects on the cardiovascular system. The purpose of this article is to review the evidence regarding the vasodilating effect induced by androgens, the mechanism of their action as well as their structure-function relationship.