Dear Readers:
Mrs S is a 52-year-old lady whose husband had a heart attack a few months ago. He is 57. Mrs S is worried about him and is being very cautious about resuming sexual intercourse, although Mr S says he is more than ready. She says her husband is a vigorous man and is worried that he would risk his life if they resume sexual activity.
He seem 'well' physically and the doctor indicated that they could go ahead and resume sexual relations some time ago. But Mrs S says that it's only three months since the heart attack and perhaps this is too soon. Also, she asks, how much sex? And how harmful is energetic sex? How can they know is enough? She says she couldn't stand it if he had another heart attack because of sex.
It is a sad fact that most couples get very little direction from their physicians as to how to proceed with their sex life after one partner has had a myocardial Infarctions (heart attack). Couples often don't know how to interpret an injunction to 'take things easier'. The result of this lack of knowledge of the risk that sex represents to the heart which has been injured, is fear. A man who has had a heart attack will find himself considering whether or not he will die in the middle of an orgasm, and is often reticent to discuss this with their sexual partner and fearful of bringing up the topic for discussion with his doctor in case he hears that sex is a 'no-no'.
Feeling of castration
This fear of death by sex also affects the partner of the man who has had a heart attack after the partner tends to avoid sexual intercourse or feels very guilty afterwards. Men suffer more heart attacks than women for social and genetic reasons. A heavy work load, worries over finances, meeting deadlines, poor eating habits and cigarette smoking are just some of the reasons why men suffer with heart attacks more often than women. Due to their hormonal constitution women derive some protection from heart attacks (myocardial Infarctions) until after menopause (change of life). It is also true that women do not worry as much as men do about sexual intercourse, so it is usually not as important a matter for them as it is for the men who have suffered myocardial Infarction (MI).
Certainly, many men, after a heart attack suffer a feeling of castration which often leads to depression.
So how to determine a measure of safe sexual activity after the heart is injured by MI? The easiest method is by checking on the pulse rate after exercise. This is easy to check on and is sufficiently accurate as a guide to how hard the heart is working. Tests have been performed which check on the pulse rate as men and women undergo various activities during the course of a normal day. Results have shown that the strain imposed on the heart by sex is no greater than the strain imposed by normal, everyday activities.
Moderate exertion
During an orgasm the work placed on the heart is just sufficient to qualify as exercise but as orgasm lasts only a few seconds it has no real value as exercise. The exercise which precedes orgasm lasts a period of 10-15 minutes in most men and women and involves only moderate exertion when measured. It is therefore fair to say that if a man who has had a heart attack is currently able to walk and climb stairs without shortness of breath or chest pain he is also capable of sexual intercourse.
To check on this, determine the pulse rate of the person after they climb two flights of stairs. If the pulse rate is within reasonable limits, below 130 beats per minute (and never higher than 140 beats/minute) after the stair climbing exercise, then sexual intercourse should be safe. Most people recovering from an uncomplicated MI attain the stage of physical capability quite rapidly. A person who has had a heart attack is often ready to resume sexual intercourse after four to six weeks.
A check on the statistics of men who die while having sex reveals the following characteristics.
• The man is usually a married man partnering a women who is not his wife.
• He is usually in unfamiliar surroundings.
• He has imbibed a more than average amount of food and alcohol.
Statistics show this to be a rare occurrence. Most heart attacks actually occur when people are not exerting themselves much.
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PO Box 1731
Kingston 8
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