If you have in your eyes the images of the film in which the protagonist, at the height of the sexual act, collapses next to her because her heart has given way, maybe you have to change your mind. Sexual intercourse only very rarely would have a temporal link with the heart attack, despite the physical effort, the increase in the frequency of beats and breathing. In short.
For those who do not prosaically consider the love “liaison” as a very intense activity and therefore potentially capable of influencing cardiac well-being as a “stress” factor, an English research published in JAMA Cardiology it offers reassuring results, also and above all for people of a certain age. Provided of course, that there is no potential “interference” on the rhythms of the heart and its circulation, such as the intake of cocaine.
The study, conducted by experts from the University of Saint George in London, coordinated by Mary Sheppard, examined the medical records of subjects who died of cardiac arrest in over 15 years at the cardiology center of the British university, arriving at an evaluation of 6847 patients. In only 17 of them a sudden heart attack occurred in the course of sexual intercourse or within sixty minutes of it, in a percentage that is approximately 0.2%.
Cardiac arrest, less survival for women
However, other findings of the survey appear to be interesting. First of all, we must not think that it is only a male problem, since in 6 cases death from cardiac arrest occurred in women.
Secondly, it is necessary to dispel the myth that death in conjunction with sexual intercourse affects the elderly: the average age observed by researchers was 38, in disagreement with several previous studies.
Also according to this analysis reports, it must be said that in some cases death related to sexual intercourse occurred in people who had unknown heart problems. In nine cases, for example, the phenomenon of sudden arrhythmic cardiac death occurred, while in two patients an aortic dissection was observed, with rupture of the artery that carries blood to the whole body.
In short, making love is good for the heart. Or at least, it should not be considered a danger, since an emotional stimulus can be created that affects the well-being of the heart and arteries even in people a little later in life, if they are healthy.
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“The study confirms once more that cardiovascular events – not just sudden deaths but also heart attacks or chest pain caused by heart disease – rarely occur during sexual activity, as sexual activity is usually short-lived.” Ciro Indolfi, President of the Italian Society of Cardiology. And this also applies to the third age, even if there are people who postpone sexual activity when in reality it is relatively safe: sometimes it is even the partner who asks for serenity in this sense. On the other hand, the elderly must not be shy and discuss with his doctor if he suffers from heart: there are cases in which cardiac rehabilitation and regular physical activity can reduce the risk of complications related to sexual activity “. : you don’t have to be a Highlander, but you also don’t have to close in on yourself for fear of potential ailments.
And for those who have already had problems? “For those who suffer from cardiovascular problems and perhaps have had a heart attack, the doctor offers indications on a case-by-case basis: the important thing is that ongoing treatments are not abandoned, perhaps fearing some” defaillance “linked to medicines – continues Indolfi. Cardiovascular disease is unstable or if its symptoms are severe, it is necessary to stabilize the disease with medication or with interventional procedures such as coronary stenting or valve replacement before the “green light.” One last recommendation. These tips apply if obviously intercourse he is calm, with his usual partner, without particular stress. The situation can change for those who focus on “escapades”, especially in old age: “organizational” stress and above all performance anxiety can create an emotional vortex that is also reflected on the well-being of the heart and arteries.
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