One in five people with heart conditions stop having sex, UK survey

Sex is impossible for a fifth of people with heart conditions, according to new statistics released by the British Heart Foundation (BHF).

The BHF’s Heart Matters magazine polled over 1,500 people with heart conditions (1) and found 32 per cent had sex less often, and 19 per cent have stopped having sex completely as a result of their heart condition. One in five respondents said they were worried about having a heart attack or cardiac arrest during sex.

Over 7 million people in the UK suffer from heart and circulatory conditions (2). Based on the survey results, the BHF estimates that issues with sex could mar the lives of over one million people.

It isn’t just the physical effects that are blighting peoples’ sex lives – 14 per cent said they had lost interest in sex because of the emotional impact of their heart condition, and 5 per cent said scarring from an operation made them feel sexually unattractive.

36 year old Martin Tailford, who on Christmas day 2011 had a heart attack and has since had difficulty having sex with his wife Louise, said:

“After my heart attack sex wasn’t natural, it required a lot more planning. I couldn’t spontaneously have sex. I needed to think what to wear to cover up the scars and bruises.

“Sex isn’t what you base a relationship on, but it is really important. My heart attack had put a strain on Louise, and not being able to be physically close to her really took its toll on our relationship. I would advise people in my position to get help as soon as they can, and not be disappointed if things don’t go well at first. It takes time.”

But the BHF’s survey revealed people aren’t getting this help. 30 per cent of people have not discussed the issue with anyone, including their doctor. Eight per cent would have liked to access professional help but couldn’t get any.

The BHF is urging heart patients and GPs to talk openly about issues around sex, so treatment and support can be provided.

Doireen Maddock, Senior Cardiac Nurse at the BHF, said:

“Sex is a hugely important part of life, but isn’t getting the attention it deserves in the consultation room. We’re hearing loud and clear from Heart Matters readers that they need better support and information on how to deal with issues affecting their sex lives.

“Problems like erectile dysfunction can often be tackled and rectified, but the first hurdle is identifying people who need that help. We’d like patients to feel comfortable and empowered to raise these issues, and for the NHS to proactively offer support in this area to everyone who needs it.”

For information and support visit bhf.org.uk/sex

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/278654.php

 

 

 

Air pollution linked to irregular heartbeat and lung blood clots

Air pollution is linked to an increased risk of developing an irregular heartbeat – a risk factor for stroke – and blood clots in the lung, finds a large study published online in the journal Heart.

But its impact on directly boosting the risk of heart attacks and stroke is rather less clear, the research indicates.

The evidence suggests that high levels of certain air pollutants are associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular problems, but exactly how this association works has not been clarified.

The research team therefore set out to explore the short term biological impact of air pollution on cardiovascular disease, using data from three national collections in England and Wales for the period 2003-9.

These were the Myocardial Ischaemia National Audit Project (MINAP), which tracks hospital admissions for heart attack/stroke; hospital episode statistics (HES) on emergency admissions; and figures from the Office of National Statistics (ONS) on recorded deaths.

Some 400,000 heart attacks recorded in MINAP; more than 2 million emergency admissions for cardiovascular problems; and 600,000 deaths from a heart attack/stroke were linked to average levels of air pollutants over a period of 5 days using data from the monitoring station nearest to the place of residence.

Air pollutants included carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5), sulphur dioxide, and ozone. Information on ambient daily temperatures, recorded by the UK Meteorological Office, was also factored in.

No clear link with any air pollutant was found for cardiovascular deaths, with the exception of PM2.5 which was linked to an increased risk of irregular heart rhythms, irregular heartbeat (atrial fibrillation) and blood clots in the lungs (pulmonary embolism).

Only nitrogen dioxide was linked to an increased risk of a hospital admission for cardiovascular problems, including heart failure, and an increased risk of a particular type of heart attack (non-ST elevation) in the MINAP data.

The findings prompt the researchers to conclude that there is no clear evidence implicating short term exposure to air pollution in boosting the risk of heart attacks and stroke.

But there does seem to be a clear link between particulate matter levels and heightened risk of atrial fibrillation and pulmonary embolism, they say.

In an accompanying linked editorial, cardiologists from the University of Edinburgh, point out that globally particulate matter is thought to be responsible for more than 3 million deaths around the globe, primarily as a result of heart attacks and stroke.

They go on to point out that patients who sustain a non-ST elevation heart attack generally tend to be older, which may implicate air pollution as being particularly harmful for elderly people.

Nevertheless, they agree that the picture is somewhat muddled and may also be affected by improving air quality, overall.

“The current lack of consistent associations with contemporary UK data may suggest that as the fog begins to clear, the adverse health effects of air pollution are starting to have less of an impact and are more difficult to delineate,” they conclude.

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/277712.php

Picture courtesy to wikipedia.org