Testopel is a long-acting testosterone treatment that is approved for men with hypogonadism. Unfortunately, it became controversial after studies linked testosterone therapy and blood clots, heart attack, stroke, and death.
Testopel (testosterone pellets) may increase your risk of developing a blood clot in the following ways:
- Elevating the number of red blood cells (erythropoiesis)
- Increasing total volume of blood
- Thickening the blood
- Elevating blood pressure
- Reducing HDL (“good”) cholesterol levels
- Increasing circulating estrogen (estrogen therapy is a risk-factor for heart disease in men and women)
Blood Clot Information
Blood clots can save your life when they stop bleeding in an emergency. However, blood clots can also form spontaneously when there is no injury. Testosterone therapy is associated with blood clots in the legs — a condition also known as deep vein thrombosis (DVT).
If a blood clot migrates in the body, it is called an “embolism.” Symptoms typically include pain, swelling, redness, and warmth in the legs. Embolisms can obstruct circulation to vital organs and cause deadly complications.
Complications
- Heart attack
- Stroke
- Pulmonary embolism
- Post-thrombotic syndrome
- Kidney damage
- Right-sided heart failure
- Bone death (osteonecrosis)
- Blindness
- Organ damage
- Amputation of a part or all of the leg
- Death
Treatment
Call 9-1-1 and seek emergency treatment for any suspected blood clot. Treatment may involve prescription blood-thinners, such as warfarin, and intravenous “clot-busting” drugs, such as heparin. Severe blood clots may need to be removed with catheter-directed thrombolysis or surgery.
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