Many people who have had a heart attack or open heart surgery often feel that the event is the end of their sex lives. This is very far from the truth. Yes, physicians will tell their cardiac patients to wait three to six weeks before resuming their regular routines.
Most doctors will give their patients stress tests after a cardiac event or operation. It will not be the next day but it will be given when the medical professional believes that the patient has had an adequate recovery period. If the individual passes the stress test, the physician will encourage them to change their lifestyles and become more active. Doctors will tell their charges not to engage in unusually heavy activity. And certainly sex should be avoided if the person still has chest pains.
Experts say that any behaviour that is good for the heart is good for the penis. This includes daily walks, eating healthier meals, ceasing smoking and having a brighter and more optimistic outlook on life.
Anyone who has seen the advertising for ED products will have noticed the disclaimer that says that those with a heart condition should see their doctor to ensure they are healthy enough to have sex. This is a very broad disclaimer but it really is intended for those who are taking nitrates for angina or chest pain. These patients may be taking life-saving drugs that when taken with an ED drug can have an effect of excessively lowering blood pressure, among other symptoms. ED drugs are not known to cause heart attacks in men who do not have angina.
We have now opened the door on ED. This is a subject that was closeted for generations and now everywhere you read there is another article on the subject. Some experts say that in otherwise healthy men, ED could be an early warning sign of a heart attack. This is because of blood flow. There is a branch of cardiology that says if a man loses weight, stops smoking, controls his blood sugar levels and walks at least 10,000 steps per day, he may cure his ED by natural means. Men taking medication for high blood pressure may experience ED. If you are lowering the blood pressure throughout your body, you are lowering the blood flow into the penis.
Another reason that men may have ED after a heart attack or cardiac surgery is fear. They are living their lives on the ‘what if’ plan. This is no way to live a fulfilling life, with or without sex. Fear, anxiety and depression are all related after a heart attack. If you are among those who fear that having sex will put you back in hospital, talk to a professional counselor. There is a good life after a heart attack. There can still me a very fulfilling sex life after a cardiac event or surgery.
