cardiovascular disease has stabilized

If your cardiovascular disease has stabilized, it is probably safe to have sex

According to a new scientific statement issued by the American Heart Association, it is probably safe to have sex if your cardiovascular disease has stabilized.

“Sexual activity is a major quality of life issue for men and women with cardiovascular disease and their partners,” said Glenn N. Levine, M.D., lead author of the statement and a professor of medicine at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston.

Cardiovascular events — such as heart attacks or chest pain caused by heart disease — rarely occur during sexual activity, because sexual activity is usually for a short time. “Some patients will postpone sexual activity when it is actually relatively safe for them to engage in it,” said Levine, who is also director of the Cardiac Care Unit at the Michael E. DeBakey Medical Center in Houston. “On the other hand, there are some patients for whom it may be reasonable to defer sexual activity until they’re assessed and stabilized.”

If you have unstable cardiovascular disease or if your symptoms are severe, you should be treated and stabilized before having sex, said Levine, who’s also a volunteer with the American Heart Association.