Sex improves hormonal metabolism, normalizes the emotional state, tones the cardiovascular system. The exception is patients with chronic pathology or after a heart attack. Physical activity during intercourse can provoke chest pain. Stress and fear of a second seizure can lead to intimate relationship difficulties. Perhaps the cardiologist will advise you to give up sex for the period of treatment, set the duration of therapy and give further recommendations.
How sex affects the work of the cardiovascular system
Having sex regularly improves your quality of life. Sexual intercourse is a kind of training for the body, has a positive effect on the work of the heart and blood vessels, mental state, emotional and hormonal background. During intimacy, blood circulation improves, which is a natural prevention of stroke or heart attack. However, like any activity, sex can cause a deterioration in well-being in people with diseases of the cardiovascular system.
This is due to the fact that during intercourse such changes occur:
The secretion of adrenaline, norepinephrine, serotonin increases - they activate the body and affect the emotional background.
- During the hormonal surge, testosterone is intensively produced in men and oxytocin, prolactin, progesterone in women.
- Under the influence of hormones, the strength and heart rate increase, which can be dangerous in case of arrhythmias, tachycardia, congenital or acquired heart defects.
- As a result of physical activity, the need for oxygen increases, ventilation of the lungs becomes more frequent, breathing becomes deeper and noisier.
- With ischemic disease, angina pectoris and post-infarction state, a lack of oxygen can provoke an attack of chest pain against the background of hypoxia, ischemia of the heart myocardium and vasospasm.
Is it possible to have sex after a heart attack
Heart attack and sex - how do intimate relationships develop after a heart attack? This question worries many patients.
According to medical recommendations, sexual activity is allowed if:
300-500 meters of walking or climbing two or more flights of stairs is not accompanied by shortness of breath, dizziness, weakness and palpitations;
- not disturbed by shortness of breath at rest or when doing the usual housework;
- no pathological and uncontrolled arrhythmia;
- there are no attacks of chest pain during the day or at night;
- in the presence of an implanted pacemaker, the condition is stable, the aforementioned ailments do not bother.
It is allowed to have sex after a heart attack if:
- after a heart attack and normalization of the condition, 4-6 weeks or more have passed;
- after a diagnostic examination and a course of therapy, the doctor allowed metered physical activity.
The main condition for the resumption of sexual activity after a heart attack is the observance of simple rules. First of all, it is worth excluding poses in which you have to hold weight on your hands. ownbody or partner. It is necessary to avoid high intensity of the load, during the most energy-consuming moments of intimacy it is better to transfer the initiative. If chest pains or stabbing pains, arrhythmias, or severe shortness of breath with dizziness or sensation of loss of consciousness develop, see a doctor.
After suffering a heart attack, men are more likely than women to experience psychological problems. They can result in erectile dysfunction and nervousness. Emotional experiences are worse on the cardiovascular system than physical exertion. Stress can manifest as pain in the heart, a general deterioration in the condition and, as a result, limit sexual activity. However, in the absence of medical contraindications, it is allowed to have sex after a heart attack.
The greatest danger is presented by severe cardiac pathology, decompensated heart defects and extensive transmural infarction with severe hemodynamic impairment and poor exercise tolerance. In other cases, with a stable condition, there are no obstacles to sexual activity. The main thing is to take into account the general well-being and the recommendations of the attending physician - a cardiologist.
Conclusions
During sex, physical and emotional stress, combined with a hormonal surge, have a tangible effect on the cardiovascular system. In the absence of cardiac pathology and preserved adaptive capabilities, intimacy improves the quality of life, normalizes blood circulation, and stabilizes the psycho-emotional state. However, with heart failure or after a heart attack, the additional stress on the heart can be fatal. Cardiologists do not recommend having sex for 4-6 weeks after the attack, until the condition improves.
