Sex and Heart
Conditions
You can continue to enjoy a happy and healthy sex life even if
you have a heart
condition.
However, it is normal to feel anxious about resuming your sex
life if you have a heart condition.
When can I resume my sex life?
Whether you have angina or are recovering from
a heart attack or
heart surgery you can
usually resume sexual activity as soon as you are feeling well
enough. After a heart attack or surgery, this is normally within 4
– 6 weeks. If you have had heart surgery, think about
activities that avoid putting too much pressure on your chest wound
in the first few weeks.
There are lots of things that you can do to reduce your anxiety
about sex, such as:
- Choosing a relaxing atmosphere
- Caressing and touching may be a helpful start to increase your
confidence
- Keeping the room and bed at a comfortable temperature
When you are ready to resume intercourse think about the
following:
- Avoid having sex after a heavy meal
- Avoid too much alcohol before sex
- Find a comfortable position,
- Ask your partner to take a more active role
- If you have a GTN spray or tablets,
keep them where you can reach them just in case you need
them.
Why am I experiencing a loss of sex drive?
Don’t worry about a loss of sex drive, or impotence.
It is a common problem and usually temporary. The emotional stress
of your condition or the medicines you have been prescribed could
be the cause of your problems. Having diabetes can also
affect your sex drive.
You should not feel embarrassed to talk to your GP, practice
nurse or cardiac rehab nurse who will be understanding and can
offer you advice and support. For more information on impotence you
can download our erectile dysfunction information sheet from our
Publications
section.
For further information
You can get more help and support about sex and heart disease by
ordering one of our DVDs from our Publications
Section
- Sex and Heart Disease - a guide for
patients and their partners
- Affairs of the heart - a
guide for Asian communities -
translated into four South Asian languages:
Urdu/Hindi, Gujarati,
Punjabi
and Bengali. Also available in
English
- Let’s Talk About Sex – information for
healthcare professionals
Our Heart
HelpLine cardiac nurses and heart health
advisors are here to provide you
with information and support on anything heart
related.
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