Most people with heart conditions such as angina, heart attack, or heart surgery have the following question in common: can I have sex with heart problems? And it is that many fear that the physical effort exerted during sexual intercourse will lead to a more significant complication. However, sex life is often affected not by heart disease but by depression and anxiety caused by the fear of not being able to satisfy your partner sexually.
The truth is that most of the time, men and women with heart disease consult with their doctor to see if it is safe to have sex with heart problems; the specialists assure that there is no problem and only in cases of heart attack or heart surgery is it necessary to do a pause and wait for the recovery process to pass. Similarly, many factors can intervene when answering whether you can have sex with heart problems, and for this reason, we have prepared this article in FastlyHeal, where we clarify the most frequent doubts.
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Can I have sex with heart problems?
The main fear of people with heart disease has a heart attack during sex. However, experts reveal that less than 2% of heart attacks occur during sexual intercourse. When it happens, it has been proven that they are more common in men than in women, especially when it comes to an adventure or a forbidden place.
Although doctors do not prohibit people from having sex for heart problems, they need to be examined and evaluated to take the necessary measures to stabilize heart function and allow them to resume the routine. Likewise, it is well known that one of the main recommendations of specialists to strengthen the health of the cardiovascular system is the practice of aerobic exercise such as jogging, walking, and running. Sex involves an effort very similar to the one we use when doing any sport.
Therefore, sex rarely represents a risk factor for heart attack when a person suffers from heart problems; however, it is essential that if fear of sexual intercourse, worry, or anxiety is expressed, it is spoken as many times as necessary with the specialist so that he answers all the doubts associated with our condition and allows us to be sure of wanting to resume sexual activity. Likewise, it is essential to talk with the couple and explain the fear we feel to prevent them from feeling rejected and provide the necessary support to face this situation.
Sex after a heart attack or heart surgery
Even people who have had a heart attack are not prohibited from having sex; you have to wait as long as the doctor considers it prudent for the heart to recover and the person to exert the necessary physical effort that sex warrants. In general, after a heart attack, an exam is performed to determine how the heart behaves when exercising; the results of this test can help the doctor guide the person on when they can have sex after a heart attack . In general, the physical activity exercised during sex is similar to the one we use when we go up two flights of stairs. It is believed that when we can do this exercise without feeling drowning or extreme fatigue, we are ready to have sex.
Similarly, the most common is a two-week complete rest, which suggests a pause in sexual intercourse to allow the heart to rest enough to recover. During this rest, it is essential to recognize when we are overexerting ourselves, and some symptoms can let us know:
- Pressure or pain in the chest.
- Dizziness and vertigo
- Sickness.
- Difficulty breathing.
- Arrhythmia irregular pulse.
If you notice any of these symptoms during or after sex, it is essential to call your doctor and suspend sexual intercourse until the specialist says otherwise.
Likewise, it can also happen that after heart surgery or a heart attack, the person changes their way of seeing sex, coming to think that it is a less pleasant activity, having problems with arousal for fear of a heart attack, experiencing sadness, depression, and anxiety or feeling like a different person. Whatever the situation that is manifesting itself around sex with heart problems, it is essential, as embarrassing as it may be, to discuss it with the cardiologist since only an expert in the heart can clarify all our concerns and fears.
In the following FastlyHealarticle, how to have sex after a heart attack, we give you some tips to overcome the fear or fear that you may have.
Sex and heart medications
The problem is often not a heart attack, surgery, or heart disease. Still, the medications used to treat heart problems can bring side effects such as difficulty getting aroused in women and the inability to maintain an erection. In the man. In these cases, the tricky thing will be to explain to the doctor that we have impediments to carrying out sexual intercourse. It is here when the specialist should help us identify if it is a physical problem resulting from a medication or heart problem or if it is. It is about a psychological problem due to fear and depression.
In the case of a side effect from the intake of drugs for heart disease, the dose can be adjusted to stop interfering with sex, or other medications can be prescribed to help the person obtain and maintain arousal during the sexual act. However, these drugs should not be taken lightly; the doctor must analyze your medical history to determine if you can consume them and explain the recommended dose according to your case.
Advice on sex with heart problems
Our quality of life directly influences our health and the nature of our sex. Living a sedentary life, being a slave to stress and worry, and eating a diet rich in fat, junk food, and processed foods will not only worsen our sexual stamina but will continue to affect our hearts to the point of causing a heart attack or stroke. Therefore, to improve your heart and sexual health, we recommend:
- Take a daily walk of 45 minutes. This will increase your heart rate and make your heart work less during sex. Any cardiovascular exercise works too: running, jogging, biking, swimming, etc.
- Eat a healthy diet rich in vegetables, good fats, low carbohydrates, and lean protein.
- Avoid frying and prefer foods prepared in the oven, grilled or steamed.
- Regulate your blood triglyceride, glucose, and cholesterol levels.
- If you are overweight, see a nutritionist and make a meal plan according to your needs.
- If you have diabetes, keep your blood sugar levels under control.
- Take your blood pressure once a day.
- Eat more fruits, find the recommended ones, and drink less alcoholic beverages.
- Look for relaxation techniques like yoga, meditation, or tai chi.
This article is merely informative, at FastlyHeal .com we do not have the power to prescribe medical treatments or make any diagnosis. We invite you to see a doctor in the case of presenting any condition or discomfort.
If you want to read more articles similar to Can I have sex with heart problems? We recommend that you enter our category of Blood, heart and circulation .
I am a Surgeon with a diploma in comprehensive ultrasound and surgical care residency, an area I am specializing in. During the exercise of my profession, I have realized the need for patients to know the diseases they suffer, and I can tell you that a large part of their complications is due to a lack of information. Being a health web writer allows me to transmit my experience, without borders, to all those readers eager for knowledge, educate them in the prevention of diseases and promote a healthy lifestyle.