Are you suffering from any type of heart disease, it's only natural to have concerns about whether sex is still safe for you or not. Yes you have good news: According to the American Heart Association, most people with heart disease can have sex safely -- and that includes those with high blood pressure.

Sexlike any other form of exercise keep the heart pumping. And, in rare cases, some people may have heart attack in extra exertion. But the risks are encouragingly small. According to a report in the July 20, 2000 issue of the American Journal of Cardiology, fewer than 1 percent of all heart attacks occur during sexual activity. Still, some people need to be careful

As reported in the American Journal of Cardiology, for people with severe hypertension that isn't under control, sex really can be dangerous. If you have high blood pressure but aren't getting treatment -- or if your blood pressure is high despite treatment -- your doctor may ask you to abstain from sex or other strenuous activity until your pressure is under control. If there's any doubt about your safety, your doctor will order a stress test like Excercise tolerance test to measure the effects of exercise on your heart muscles.

What is role of high blood pressure on female sexuality. A study of 640 women, published in the June 2000 issue of The American Journal of Hypertension, found that the women with hypertension were significantly more likely than others to suffer pain during intercourse. They also were more likely to have decreased vaginal lubrication and trouble reaching orgasm.

Many drugs that are good for your heart can be hard on your sex life. According to the Mayo Clinic, many diuretics and beta blockers, two very popular classes of blood pressure medicine can affect a person's sex drive and cause erectile problems in men. Though it’s usually safe to take erectile dysfunction drugs (Viagra, Levitra, Cialis) with high blood pressure medication, don’t take them with nitrates, this can cause a life-threatening drop in blood pressure as these drugs cause intense vasodilation also.

If you have any sexual difficulties after taking your high blood pressure medication, don't suffer in silence. Your doctor can usually solve the problem by simply changing the prescription. As reported in Postgraduate Medicine, ACE inhibitors and calcium channel blockers can lower blood pressure with little to no risk of sexual side effects.

Some High blood pressure medicines may actually give a boost to a person's sex life. A study of 82 men with sexual dysfunction, published in the May 2001 issue of the American Journal of Medicine and Science, found that patients had more reliable erections and more frequent sex after treatment with the drug losartan (Cozaar). Losartan belongs to a relatively new class of drugs known as angiotensin II receptor antagonists or ARBs.

Whatever medicine your doctor prescribes, be sure to follow the instructions carefully.

References

Debusk R et al. Management of sexual dysfunction in patients with cardiovascular disease: Recommendations of the Princeton Consensus Panel. American Journal of Cardiology. July 20, 2000. 86(2A): 62F-68F.

Kochar MS et al. What is causing your patient's sexual dysfunction? Postgraduate Medicine. August 1999. 106 (2): 149-157.

Mayo Clinic. High Blood Pressure and Sex: Overcome the Challenges. August 2006.

Burchardt M et al. Hypertension is associated with severe erectile dysfunction. Journal of Urology. October 2000. 164:1188-1191.

Duncan LE at al. Does hypertension and its pharmacotherapy affect the quality of sexual function in women? American Journal of Hypertension. June 2000. 13(6 pt 1): 640-647.

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Retta from XmpgcAgHUpRC

At last! Somheting clear I can understand. Thanks!

Posted at 9:42:pm 12/12/11