Sex and Heart Conditions

It is important to know the difference between what may ’trigger’ a heart attack and what ‘causes’ heart attacks in the first place which is very different.

Heart attacks happen when your heart muscle can’t get enough blood and oxygen. This usually happens because fatty deposits or plaque, build up over a lifetime in the lining of your arteries making them narrow, reducing the blood and oxygen going to your heart muscle. This can cause pain, known as angina, and can be the first sign that something might be wrong.  Sometimes this plaque can completely block off an artery or it may break off forming a clot which can block the artery.  When the artery is blocked, the blood supply to that part of your heart is stopped completely. This is a heart attack.

Sexual activity is similar to any other physical activity — your heart rate, breathing rate and blood pressure level increase.  In fact, the demands sexual intercourse puts on your heart is similar to many other daily activities such as taking a brisk walk, scrubbing a floor, or climbing one or two flights of stairs. So, if you already have heart disease (a build-up of plaque), sex may bring on angina or very rarely trigger a heart attack, but it is not the cause of your heart attack.
Physical activity is good for your heart.  Being physically active on a regular basis will reduce your risk of having a heart attack generally as well as while having sex.  So if you have heart disease and aren’t very fit, talk to your doctor or nurse about ways to become more physically active.

Tips for reducing anxiety about sex after a heart event

• Choose a relaxing atmosphere and warm room
• Choose a time when you are rested and relaxed, start slowly and let intimacy build before starting intercourse
• Ensure you have had your prescribed medications
• Avoid having sex after a heavy meal or wait two hours after a meal
• Avoid too much alcohol
• Find a comfortable position, ask your partner to take a more active role
• If you use GTN spray or tablets, keep them where you can reach them in case they’re needed
• If you have had surgery, avoid putting too much pressure on your chest in the first 4-6 weeks