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Sex in the partnership carries no risks
As a new German long-term study shows, sex in the partnership is not a problem. The heart attack risk is not increased - even if you have had an infarct before. The situation is different in terms of infidelities ...
So far, it was not clear whether sex could be a risk for heart attack patients. The concern that a second infarction would be more likely to have sexual intercourse after a heart attack is therefore widespread. A German long-term study now brings light into the dark.
Over ten years, a total of 536 infarct patients between the ages of 30 and 70 were examined. Among other things, the study participants had to state how often they would have had sex before their infarction. Only 15 percent of respondents had no sex at all, more than half of whom had intercourse at least once a week. In addition, it was asked when exactly those affected last slept with someone before they had an infarction. The result: no more than three respondents had sex in the hour before the infarction. About 80 percent of the study participants had intercourse more than 24 hours ago.
Of the 536 respondents, 100 had significant heart problems, a heart attack or a stroke over the next 10 years. According to study director Dietrich Rothenbacher, this is not to be linked to the fact that the patients had had sex. It is very unlikely that normal sex can trigger a heart attack.
However, other studies have shown that sex in a partnership is safer than an infidelity. In a study of the University of Frankfurt 60 cases were analyzed in which persons had died during sex. 56 of the deceased had been men. The cause of death: a heart attack. On average, the men were 59 years old.
More than half of the 56 men did not practice sexual intercourse with their spouse, but with an affair or a prostitute. The rest of the men died as they satisfied themselves. But why is the risk of a heart attack in an affair obviously increased?
A guess: Men give more trouble with sex with their lover. On average, the sex partners of the deceased men were at least 20 years younger than them.
Heart attack risk also increased for unsportsmanlike men
For people who are either in their 50s or 60s, the risk of having a heart attack is 2.7 times higher than for younger people. Particularly vulnerable are unsportsmanlike men. According to the American Heart Association (AHA), since sex is comparable to walking fast or climbing stairs over several floors, those who do so without difficulty should not worry too much.
