DURHAM, North Carolina (NBC) – Exercise is often part of a patient's rehabilitation after suffering a heart attack or stroke, but there is one form of exercise that gives some patients pause.
Is it safe to have sex after a heart attack?
Duke University's Dr. Magnus Ohman helped write a scientific statement for the American Heart Association meant to help guide cardiologists and their patients.
It says that for the majority of patients whose heart disease is stabilized the answer is yes, sex is quite safe.
"We need to allow patients to return to their normal living again, and part of that is sexual activity," Dr. Ohman says.
It's good news for 56-year-old Elizabeth Robertson, who suffered a heart attack just last week.
She's already been comforted by two friends living with heart disease.
"They said they have completely resumed their sexual activity with their spouses and everything was wonderful," Robertson notes.
It's been on 49-year-old Joseph Downard's mind as well.
He's been living with heart disease for seven years.
"As the heart disease has progressed, it has become an issue," he says.
He's addressed the issue with several doctors, because he has a lot of living left to do.
"I'm still young, and my wife's still young, and it is an intimate part of a marriage," he says.
Most cardiac medications are okay to take with drugs to treat erectile dysfunction, with one important exception.
Nitrates used in the emergency room to treat chest pain can interact with ED drugs, possibly leading to a dangerous drop in blood pressure.
