How soon is sex safe after a heart attack?

(CBS News) 

For a patient recovering from a heart attack, it can be one of the most difficult questions to ask a doctor: When is it safe to resume a normal sex life? For the first time, the American Heart Association tried to answer those questions Thursday with a new set of guidelines. CBS News medical correspondent Dr. Jon LaPook tells us what they mean.

Kirk Devereux had a common fear after having a heart attack at age 48.

"The fear is you're going to die while you're having sex," he said, "and that would be a horrible thing to happen for both of you, obviously."

Sex poses surprisingly low risk to heart patients

Thursday's guidelines from the American Heart Association are designed to ease those fears. Key points include:

• Most patients can resume having sex if they can walk up two flights of stairs or walk briskly without a problem.
• Patients with cardiac symptoms like chest pain after minimal activity should not resume sex until symptoms are under control
• After a heart attack, the risk of death or another heart attack after sex is low, only 2 to 3 per 100,000

"I think a lot of times it's on people's minds, but they don't actually verbalize it," said cardiologist Dr. Tara Narula of Lenox Hill Hospital. She said patients are afraid to bring up the subject.

"I want them to understand that they should feel free to communicate about this. I think that's the biggest thing is breaking down the communication barrier because that way, there's a free dialogue between the physician and patient."

Five years after his heart attack, Kirk Devereux married his girlfriend Livia, who has helped him deal with his fears.

"For both of us, there was still that fear in the background," he said. "It fades. It fades and you start feeling better."

These are general guidelines. It's crucial that patients undergo thorough evaluation to help determine their specific individual risk.

[NB62]

Well this is one story that I just dont relate to

Havent had any sex in years and its sure sucks

[hypnotoad72]

nevwster1 - for sex?!!

[mecanik-2009]

Die having sex. What a way to go. Beats a car crash or a train wreck or.........

[goffredo29]

This report was flawed in two ways. First, when Dr. Narula says her ("male") patients are afraid to bring it up, it's because we're afraid of an accusation of sexual harrassment. My female doctor always brings a female nurse into the room with her, at least in part, for that reason. Then you not only have to tell the female doctor about it but also the female nurse. Second, where are the females who also have suffered heart attacks and are worried about having another one while having sex? Please God, just will some considerate poster just post here the direct phone number to the CBS Evening News? So, I can call them and Dr. John LaPook, if that ,in fact IS a real name, myself!

[chimike9607]

Let her get on top, and you can start as soon as you can get home from the hospital!

Do you guys have to discuss that here? Can't you like, wait for Oprah's Doctor's TV show?

[hypnotoad72]

Or "Dr Phil", especially when it's anyone but Justin B...