Sex after a Heart Attack - - for Women

Oral Contraceptives a No No

(LifeWire) - Since sex drive and intimacy are a delicate interplay of mind and body, it's easy to understand why anxiety can affect both after a woman suffers a heart attack.

It's common to wonder when normal daily activities, including sexual intercourse, can be resumed after the trauma of a myocardial infarction, or heart attack, which strikes more than 365,000 women each year. More than 74,000 women die, while approximately another 100,000 women undergo coronary bypass surgery, a procedure done to alleviate blocked arteries and prevent new or subsequent heart attacks.

But just as most other activities can be resumed shortly after these cardiac events, so can intimacy -- without the fear that engaging in sex will cause another heart attack. Among both men and women, less than 1% of heart attacks and 5% of angina attacks -- chest pain due to blockage of the coronary arteries -- occur during sexual activity.

Pre-menopausal heart attack patients who take birth control pills, however, will likely be advised by their doctors to switch their form of contraception. Birth control pills can raise cardiovascular risk, particularly in women over 35 who smoke, and they are believed to double the risk of heart attack or stroke. Once a woman has suffered a heart attack, her doctor will want to minimize every possible risk factor to avoid a second attack.

Fertility also affects risk. Before menopause, which occurs at an average age of 51, women suffer a small proportion of heart attacks compared to men because of the heart-protecting effects of the hormone estrogen. By age 65, however, a woman's chances of having a heart attack equal a man's. Another factor that potentially increases the risk of female cardiac problems is exposure to toxins during chemotherapy treatment for breast cancer, diagnosed in 240,000 women each year.

And while erectile dysfunction can be an early symptom of heart disease in men, sexual dysfunction in women is not clearly linked to cardiovascular problems.

The first step toward reclaiming your sex life is getting the OK from your doctor. Some doctors require patients to pass a heart stress test, a timed period of exercise on a treadmill or stationary bicycle, before giving the go-ahead. Sexual intercourse, despite many myths, requires a moderate level of exertion similar to a brisk walk, carrying 20 pounds of groceries a short distance or a round of golf.

Most heart attack patients quickly work to that level within a matter of weeks, especially if they're participating in a cardiac rehabilitation program.

The American Heart Association offers guidelines for resuming sex that contribute to both comfort and safety:

• Choose a time of day that is stress-free and when you're relaxed and rested.
• Wait one to three hours after a meal to allow time for digestion.
• Pick a familiar, tranquil setting.
• Take prescription medications before sex.
• Immediately report any chest pain or dizziness during sex to your doctor.

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