New guidance for heart patients having sex

Heart patients who can climb two flights of stairs or walk briskly without symptoms should be able to have sex, U.S. researchers say. Dr. Glenn Levine of Baylor College of Medicine in Houston and colleagues, who worked on the scientific statement for the American Heart Association, said it is reasonable for patients diagnosed with cardiovascular disease to receive a comprehensive evaluation from their healthcare provider before resuming sexual activity. However, heart patients with unstable disease or severe symptoms should be stabilized before attempting sex, Medpage Today reported. The new guidance, published online in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association, was endorsed by several other professional societies, including the American College of Cardiology and American Urological Association. In the studies -- involving primarily young married men -- sexual activity with one's usual partner was roughly equal to mild to moderate physical activity, such as climbing two flights of stairs with no symptoms. The comparison might not apply to older heart patients, those less physically fit and patients with cardiovascular disease, who might have to exert themselves more than their healthier counterparts. It is reasonable for patients with cardiovascular disease to undergo a physical examination and provide a thorough medical history before starting or resuming sexual activity, the guidance said. Cardiac rehabilitation and regular exercise can be useful to reduce the risk of sexual activity-related cardiovascular complications, Levine said.