Sex After a Heart Attack? Johns Hopkins Health After 50 Newsletter Reviews The Most Recent Safety Findings
Johns Hopkins Health After 50 reports on the latest research and findings on how to safely resume your sex life after a heart attack, and what to do in the event of sexual dysfunction after a heart attack. It also offers clear guidelines on the new erectile dysfunction drugs, and what to watch out for if you have heart health concerns.
New York, NY (PRWEB) February 14, 2008 -- For many people, St. Valentine's Day conjures up feelings of passion and romance, not dread. But if you've recently had a heart attack, you may be concerned about resuming an active sex life.
Chances are you shouldn't worry. Most of the time, sex after a heart attack is not only SAFE but, like moderate exercise, also encouraged--though at first it's normal to experience some sexual dysfunction.
SAFETY FIRST
Generally, sex is not dangerous for people with cardiovascular disease (CVD). One study of 1,774 heart attack patients, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, found that the patients at highest risk had only a 20 in 1,000,000 chance of having a second heart attack during sex. Researchers found that anger was three times more likely than sexual activity to cause a heart attack.
A review of studies by researchers at the University of Maryland found that even men with chronic heart failure--a serious condition that often develops after other cardiac conditions have damaged the heart--could safely engage in sexual activity.
Are you ready?
Everyone who has had a heart attack should enter an 8- to 12-week cardiac rehabilitation program that includes nutrition counseling, medication, and careful monitoring of heart rate and blood pressure during exercise. Yet a recent study of over 267,000 Medicare recipients found that only 18% of heart attack patients attended even ONE rehabilitation session.
During rehab, your doctor and rehabilitation specialist will determine if and when activities, including sex, are safe, so it is essential for you to attend all sessions.
Many people are embarrassed to have the "sex talk" with their doctors, but don't be shy about this important health issue. Ask your doctor specifically about sexual activity.
Intercourse expends about as much energy as walking 2 to 3 miles per hour on a treadmill or climbing two flights of stairs. If you can do these or comparable activities without experiencing symptoms--such as an irregular heart beat, a spike in blood pressure, angina (chest pain), or difficulty breathing--then you are probably healthy enough to have sex.
Easy does it
Sexual activity is considered too risky during the first 2 weeks after a heart attack, but most people do not have to wait much longer than that to resume their sex lives.
Guidelines issued by the Princeton Consensus Panel stress that the majority of patients (60-70%) are at low risk for a coital heart attack and can safely resume sexual activity within 3-4 weeks.
However, not everyone will be able to have sex that soon. Roughly 20-30% of patients require further testing and treatment before engaging in intercourse; 10-15% are advised to refrain from strenuous sexual activity, though other forms of intimacy may be safe.
Once it's safe for you to have sex, start slowly. Don't try to "prove" to yourself or your partner that you've "still got it" by engaging in novel or strenuous sex acts. And avoid unfamiliar partners; sex with a new partner can be stressful.
Performance problems
Even with a green light from your doctor, it might not be very easy to get back into the swing of things. It is normal for men and women who have had heart attacks to experience some sexual difficulties, especially early in the recovery process.
One culprit is depression, which is common after a heart attack and can significantly lower libido.
Moreover, despite a doctor's reassurance, you might still be anxious that sex will result in another heart attack. Your partner may also hesitate to be intimate with you again, for fear that he or she might cause you to have another heart attack.
In most instances, these thoughts and worries subside. Make sure to describe to your doctor or rehabilitation specialist how you are feeling. And if you do not experience any improvement in your mood or libido, you should seek help from a licensed mental health professional.
Medications also can cause sexual problems. Diuretics, prescriptions for chest pain, arrhythmia drugs, and many antidepressants can dampen libido. Your doctor may be able to change your medication or lower dosage, so do not hesitate to communicate your concerns.
ED-CVD connection
Men who've had a heart attack may experience erectile dysfunction (ED). In fact, many cases of ED are linked to cardiovascular disease (CVD); achieving an erection depends on getting a healthy supply of blood to the penis, so ED can be one of the first signs that a man may have high blood pressure or other risk factors for heart disease.
The drugs Viagra (sildenafil), Levitra (vardenafil), and Cialis (tadalafil) can help. They maintain erections by preventing the blood that has entered the penis from draining away.
However, men who take nitroglycerin tablets or other nitrates for angina or chest pain shouldn't take ED drugs; the combination can result in HYPOTENSION (a dangerous drop in blood pressure).
Some final advice
Adopting healthy habits is essential to a healthy libido. Quit smoking, exercise regularly, maintain a healthy weight, and limit alcohol intake to one drink per day if you're a woman and to two drinks per day if you're a man.
A heart attack can have an impact on your sex life and strain your relationship. But it doesn't have to. Opening the lines of communication with your doctor and your partner is the first step to getting your sex life back after a heart attack.
911 Advice
Only 5% of angina attacks result from sexual activity. But if you have chest pain that is not due to exertion within 2 hours of having sex, intercourse is probably to blame. You should seek emergency assistance if the pain lasts longer than 5 minutes.
Warning: If you have taken Viagra or Levitra within 24 hours or Cialis within 48 hours, do NOT take nitroglycerine tablets, even if your doctor has prescribed them for your angina attacks.
Copyright 2008, Johns Hopkins Health After 50 Newsletter
http://www.johnshopkinshealthalerts.com/health_after_50/index.html
For over 20 years, Johns Hopkins Health After 50 newsletter has been publishing the latest information on the health disorders that affect us in later life.
For more information on Heart Attack and Heart Attack Prevention, please visit our Heart Health topic page at Johns Hopkins Health Alerts:
http://www.johnshopkinshealthalerts.com/alerts_index/heart_health/380-1.html
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