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High blood pressure and Sex
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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.
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sexual functioning can be affected by High Blood
Pressure
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Whether you're a woman or a man, high blood
pressure can definitely put a damper on your sex life. Among men, high blood pressure can cause
erectile dysfunction by slowing the supply of blood to the penis. A survey of 104 men with high
blood pressure, published in the October 2000 issue of The Journal of Urology, found that the vast
majority -- 71 patients -- had some form of erectile dysfunction. For 47 men -- nearly half -- the
problem was severe.
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.
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Effect of hypertension
medications on sexuality
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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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