People with implants in the heart feel fear during sex
Last reviewed: 23.04.2024
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A new study showed that sexual arousal can be a concern for people who have implanted electrical cardiac implants.
The study showed that patients with an implanted cardioverter defibrillator often experience anxiety during sex, fearing that the device will lead to a painful shock as soon as they reach a climax, which, of course, significantly reduces the sexual activity of such people.
Implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs) the size of a pager and can prevent sudden cardiac arrest in patients with cardiac arrhythmias or congenital heart disease. If the ICD detects a heart rhythm disturbance, it restores the heart to a normal rhythm by electrically generating normal pulses. As many patients report, such electrical discharges can be painful, causing a feeling of shock in the chest.
Scientists conducted a survey of sexual arousal, frequency and satisfaction with sex among 151 participants in the study, 41 of whom were implanted ICD. Patients were also asked to assess the level of anxiety during intercourse. In men and women with ICD, there was a higher level of anxiety due to fear of complications in the implant during sex.
Researchers believe that this anxiety can be alleviated if the doctors give appropriate recommendations to patients after implantation of cardioverter-defibrillators.
So Dr. Albert Levy, a professor of medicine at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine, says that the risk of experiencing a stroke during sex is not higher than with daily walking up the stairs: "The risk during sex is equivalent to climbing the ladder." If a patient with an ICD is able to climb on the stairs, he is able to have sex. "
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