After suffering a heart attack, the patient often raises some questions and fears about his or her sex life. To find positive solutions, it is necessary to get rid of any taboos or embarrassment that may be experienced when discussing these issues with the doctor. The most common fears and anxieties that arise about sexual life are related to the physical exertion that the activity requires, as the patient is often afraid that the sexual act may pose a significant risk to his or her heart. For patients’ peace of mind, it must be said that it has been demonstrated that the energy expenditure during sexual intercourse is similar to that generated by climbing two flights of stairs. The heart rate of the sexual act is lower than that produced during other normal activities of daily life, and the physical effort required could be described as moderate, which in principle would not cause any complications. It is recommended to resume sexual intercourse after adequate physical training (cardiac rehabilitation) and there to assess physical capacity, symptoms during exercise, and tolerance to moderate activities. In the absence of symptoms, there is no contraindication to sexual intercourse. Specifically in men, in case of requiring medication to improve erectile function, you should always consult your cardiologist for authorization.   It is common to feel fear of death during sexual activity after having a heart attack, however, cases of death occur at a very low rate. In a study of almost 6000 cases of sudden death due to non-traumatic causes, only 34 of them were due to cardiac causes and occurred during sexual intercourse; in 27 of these cases, the deceased was having sex with a different partner than usual, influenced by factors such as nervousness, increased arousal, feelings of guilt, the need to look good and the use of drugs to improve sexual potency. A frequently detected problem is impotence and frigidity; both can be caused by the type of pharmacological treatment, psychological alterations caused by heart disease, and fear; it is important to control risk factors, and comorbidities and always consult your doctor to evaluate causes that can be intervened. In Sincro we have a team of specialists that allow us to perform an integral control of your pathologies, schedule your appointment here.

Cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the world and it is necessary to be aware of prevention, which is based on healthy lifestyle habits and learning to identify warning signs and symptoms to consult early and reduce the likelihood of complications.  You should consult a professional if you present the following:  The fundamental axis of prevention lies in healthy lifestyles, which involve regular exercise, maintaining an adequate diet and weight, quitting smoking, and having adequate control of diseases such as hypertension and diabetes and low cholesterol levels. At Sincro we have a team of specialists that allow us to carry out an integral control of your pathologies, schedule your appointment here

Heart failure is a condition in which the heart cannot pump blood efficiently to meet the body’s needs; the main symptoms are fatigue, shortness of breath with usual activities when putting on shoes when lying down, swelling in the legs and abdomen, accelerated weight gain due to fluid retention, chest pain and palpitations. For the diagnosis, the physician will use several tools including clinical history, personal and family history, physical examination, laboratory tests to evaluate possible triggers of the disease and its repercussions and other diagnostic aids such as chest x-ray, echocardiogram and in special scenarios, cardiac catheterization, holter, cardiac resonance, among others.  Untreated heart failure can lead to complications such as pulmonary edema, which is the accumulation of fluid in the lungs, kidney problems, arrhythmias, deterioration in quality of life, recurrent hospitalizations, low cardiac output and death.  Treatment has several pillars: lifestyle changes such as a low-salt diet, regular exercise, healthy eating and weight control; on the other hand, there is a group of essential drugs that modify the natural history of the disease and improve symptoms. It is also important to evaluate the need for medical devices, surgery and procedures such as coronary arteriography, bypass surgery, valve repair or replacement, or cardiac transplantation, as appropriate.  You should consult an emergency room if you have sudden weight gain, shortness of breath at rest or with minimal effort, progressive swelling, extreme fatigue, severe chest pain, rapid or irregular palpitations lasting more than 30 minutes, or that cause pain, choking, or loss of consciousness.  Remember to always consult your cardiologist for specific information and guidance on your situation. At Sincro we have a team of specialists that allow us to perform an integral control of your pathologies, schedule your appointment here