Lifestyle change is needed after one suffers from a heart attack however a research has some good news that heart attack survivors can rejoice over. Apparently, sex life need not change after a heart attack.
In a report by ABC News, German researchers studied more than 500 heart attack survivors, a combination of men and women, over a 10 year period. Results show that survivors who have sex at least once weekly have no higher risk from a heart attack than those having no sex at all.
The study was published last Monday in the Journal of American College of Cardiology.
Normally, the sex has been a concern among doctors and some patients after heart attack. It was believed that sex might trigger another cardiac event. However the results suggest otherwise. Majority of heart attacks in the study did not occur within 24 hours of having sexual intercourse.
Dr. Dietrick Rothenbacher, lead investigator of the study told ABC News, "Don't be afraid - at work or in the bedroom. The stress on your heart during sex is comparable to climbing two staircases or taking a brisk walk," he added. He is also the chair of epidemiology at Germany's Ulm University. He noted that there may be improved quality of life to those who have frequent sexual activity.
Dr. Steven Nissen, chair of cardiovascular medicine at the Cleveland Clinic said that this recent study supports findings from older studies over the years. Because of the growing evidence, he does not limit his patients who feel that they are still capable of having sexual activity. However, he is still skeptical about the health benefits of sex to his patients. "It is a bit of a chicken and egg situation," Nissen said.
Meanwhile, there are still some heart attack survivors who are not allowed to engage in sexual activities. Most of those who experience chest discomfort with mild to moderate exercise. Anyone who feels they are not up to resume normal sexual activity are advised not to do it.
It is still up to the patients to decide whether to resume normal sexual activity. However some patients will definitely rejoice with this good news. Do you think it is okay to resume bedroom activity for these patients? Feel free to let us know and leave your comments below.
