Heart Disease No Reason to Give Up Sex, Surveys Find
BERN, Switzerland — People with heart disease do not have to give up sex, a study published by the Swiss Cardiology Foundation said Tuesday.
The report, written by West German heart specialist Carola Halhuber, said Swiss and American surveys showed that a third of men and women suffering heart attacks gave up sex, although their fears were unjustified.
“Anyone who can still climb the stairs normally or walk round the block need have no worries about resuming the sexual activity he or she had before a heart attack,” Halhuber wrote.
She said a Japanese study of 5,500 sudden deaths showed that only 34 happened during sexual intercourse. Eighteen of the victims had heart failure, including 14 who were having an extramarital affair at the time.
It was not sexual intercourse itself, but the circumstances in which it took place, that caused the greatest stress, Halhuber said.
Sign up for Essential California
The most important California stories and recommendations in your inbox every morning.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
