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Coffee could literally be a lifesaver

Behaviour

Coffee could literally be a lifesaver

2015-11-18

Throughout the ages, coffee has been called a virtue and a vice for our health. The latest study comes down in favor of virtue: It says that drinking coffee, whether regular or decaf, could reduce the risk of death.

Researchers started with data from surveys of adults in the United States that asked how much coffee they consumed, as well as other foods and drinks, and then they looked at their rates of death and disease over the following two decades.

The study was large, including more than 200,000 women and 50,000 men.

At first, researchers did not see an obvious relationship between coffee consumption and death rates. Study participants who drank between less than a cup of coffee and three cups a day had 5% to 9% lower risk of dying than those who drank no coffee. Those who drank more than three cups a day did not see any benefit. The finding was murky, like previous studies, some of which suggested a benefit and some did not.

But when the researchers looked at coffee consumption only among people who said they never smoked, the relationship became clearer: Those who drank between less than a cup of coffee and three cups a day had 6% to 8% lower risk of dying than noncoffee drinkers. Those who drank three to five cups and more than five cups had 15% and 12% lower death rates.

“The lower risk of mortality is consistent with our hypothesis that coffee consumption could be good for you (because) we have published papers showing that coffee consumption is associated with lower risk of type 2 diabetes and (heart) disease,” said Ming Ding, a doctoral student in the Harvard School of Public Health department of nutrition. Ding is the lead author of the study, which was published on Monday in the journal Circulation.

It might have been hard to see the link between coffee consumption and lower death rates because coffee and smoking often go hand-in-hand, and any benefits associated with the first could have been canceled out by the second. Although the study participants were asked about smoking, there might have been a tendency, especially among heavy smokers, to underestimate the average number of cigarettes they smoked per day, Ding said.

 What’s behind the lower death rate?

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It’s possible that people who drink a lot of java have healthier diets overall and drink less soda, which has been linked to higher rates of death and heart disease, or that they have healthier diets overall.

But that’s probably not what links coffee to lower death rates — researchers took into account the health benefits of drinking less soda and eating well. They also took into account the fact that coffee drinkers were more likely to have vices such as drinking alcohol and eating red meat.

At least some of the health benefits associated with coffee consumption are probably a direct result of the ingredients in coffee, Ding said. It contains chemicals such as lignans and chlorogenic acid that could reduce inflammation and help control blood sugar, both of which could help reduce the risk of heart disease.

In keeping with this possibility, Ding and her colleagues found that coffee drinkers were about 10% less likely to die of heart disease. They were also between 9% and 37% less likely to die of neurological diseases such as Parkinson’s and dementia.

The researchers also found that study participants who drank at least a cup of coffee a day had between 20% and 36% lower rates of suicide, although those who drank less than a cup had 36% higher rates.

Several other studies have hinted at an association between coffee consumption and lower suicide rates, but it was a bit unexpected to see, Ding said. It is not clear whether chemicals in coffee have a direct effect on mental health or whether people who drink a lot of coffee have higher rates of employment or certain lifestyles that are associated with lower suicide rates, she added.

Although previous studies have suggested that drinking coffee could protect against cancers such as prostate and liver, the current study did not find lower rates of cancer deaths among java drinkers.

However, there may not have been a large enough number of deaths because of specific cancers, such as liver cancer, to be able to see a difference between coffee drinkers and nondrinkers, Ding said.

By Carina Storrs, Special to CNN

If You Have ED You May Have Diabetes

Sexual Health

If You Have ED You May Have Diabetes

Lots of men with erectile dysfunction ignore the issue. Being a blow to their ego, they cannot accept their predicament and so operate in denial for some time. The problem is ED is often a symptom of a more serious condition. A new analysis published in the Annals of Family Medicine, finds that those with ED are at twice the risk of having undiagnosed diabetes. Previous studies have found that ED is an early indicator of heart disease. Cardiologists call it the “canary in the coal mine.” But no one has until now considered it an early indicator of diabetes. Canadian researchers from several universities worked together to complete the analysis. They scoured the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey and looked at the years 2001–2004. This is a health survey of the noninstitutionalized U.S. population, taken every two years. 4,519 men age 20 and older answered the survey. Researchers examined their data noting the relationship between erectile dysfunction, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes.

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“How would you describe your ability to get and keep an erection adequate for satisfactory intercourse?” was the question the survey asked. For those men who answered “never able” or “sometimes able” researchers examined their fasting glucose, cholesterol, and blood pressure measurements. Scientists then analyzed this data along with the men’s ages to determine the likelihood of the respondents having cardiovascular disease or diabetes. Researchers found a strong correlation between ED and undiagnosed diabetes. Around 45% of U.S. adults have high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or diabetes. But 15% of cases go undiagnosed. According to the aforementioned study, for men between the ages of 40 and 59, those without ED have a one in 50 chance of developing diabetes. But for those with ED, the risk is one in 10. If you are experiencing ED, it is likely your body is trying to tell you something. Listen to it. The quicker one gets treatment the better off you are in the long run. Any man experiencing ED should talk to a doctor or urologist right away.

New Prostate Cancer Procedure to be Approved by the FDA

Reproductive Health

New Prostate Cancer Procedure to be Approved by the FDA

Imagine a surgeon using the power of sound as a scalpel, cutting away cancer-ridden tissue with precision while leaving healthy tissue alone. That may soon be a reality as a new treatment for this male-oriented cancer is weeks away be approved by the FDA. The technique is called high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU). Nicknamed the “ultrasound scalpel,” the technique lots of advantages over other procedures. It is non-surgical, outpatient, and has a low-risk of side effects. Prostate cancer is usually caught early today. When it is localized, meaning just a tumor inside the gland, clinicians often suggest active surveillance or watching it closely to see if it gets bigger. That is because radiation or surgery—the most common techniques, can damage other tissue such as the nerves that cause erections or urinary or bowel continence. Since the side effects seriously hamper a man’s quality of life, these options are held off until the cancer turns aggressive, meaning it grows beyond the gland itself and threatens other tissues.

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The HIFU technique is meant to be able to take out prostate tumors in their early stages. Due to the pinpoint accuracy of this technology, clinicians can take out the cancer while localized, leaving healthy tissue alone safeguarding nerves and with them, the patient’s quality of life. HIFU preserves these nerves with 80% accuracy, as opposed to 40-50% with surgery or radiation. There are other advantages. Rather than a six to eight week recovery time required with other therapies, after HIFU men can return to normal activities in just a few days. All men over 40 years of age should talk to their doctor or an urologist about being screened for prostate cancer. Men over 50 and those at high risk such as African-Americans, or those who have a family history of the disease should be periodically screened. Be sure and discuss it with your physician or specialist should you fall within these guidelines. They may even suggest HIFU.

Do You Have What it Takes to Satisfy Your Partner?

Sexual Health

Do You Have What it Takes to Satisfy Your Partner?

What is the ideal penis size? That is a difficult question to answer. It all depends on who your partner is. Most men assume seven inches to be ideal in terms of penile dimensions. Perhaps the viewing of pornography has given them this impression. But these films are completely staged and those actors are selected for their mammoth size. We have a cultural expectation that bigger is better. So the directors of those films select men who are enormous, which solidifies our belief that a larger penis is actually of higher value. This is a life-reflects-art-reflects-life scenario. But according to a study published in Psychology of Men & Masculinity, in real life women prefer a penis within the average range. A six inch penis was considered ideal by female participants in that study. According to their findings, women prefer average over large. Los Angeles sex therapist Brandy Engler, Psy.D said that it is men who prefer a larger penis, not women. According to her, it is more about status than sex. Penis size is how men size each other up.

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For women, an enormous penis is often painful. Penetration at certain depths can cause the tip to slam into the cervix, which can be quite painful. But for men, preoccupation with size often makes them oblivious to these concerns. Penile inadequacy is a common psychological condition among men in our society. But it does not have to be. The vast majority are average in size. There is such a thing as a small penis, but it is very rare. Rarer still is the micropenis. If one believes that he does not have sufficient length or girth, avoid supplements or devices that make big promises. Chances are they will fail to deliver. These are not regulated by any controlling agency, and have been found to be at best ineffective and at worst dangerous. Men feeling inadequate should see a doctor or urologist, and get checked out. Discuss the matter at length with a medical professional. But sex experts agree that the vast majority of men have the equipment it takes to please their partner. What is really important is approach and technique.

Majority of Chinese men, women sexually dissatisfied, survey says

Sexual Health

Majority of Chinese men, women sexually dissatisfied, survey says

2015-10-28

Stress and depression were underlying causes for the dearth of sexual activity, and most Chinese respondents worried about the consequences of taking prescriptive drugs like Viagra.
By Elizabeth Shim   |

BEIJING, Oct. 26 (UPI) — Chinese couples may be too stressed to find satisfaction in their sex lives, and few Chinese men seek Western medical treatment for erectile dysfunction.

In a survey of 72,377 respondents conducted by the Chinese Medical Association and the China Sexology Association, 38 percent of respondents said they have “healthy sex” on a regular basis, China News Network reported Monday.

The majority of respondents said their sex lives are not satisfactory. AsiaOne reported stress and depression were underlying causes for the dearth of sexual activity, and about 90 percent of those surveyed said their sex lives were an important factor in marital happiness and self-confidence.

The survey is the first of its kind to be conducted in China, and was included in a report on the sex satisfaction and knowledge of Chinese citizens, Yonhap reported.

Among the men and women surveyed, 83.5 percent of respondents said male stamina was the most important factor in sexual satisfaction. For Chinese men suffering from erectile dysfunction, 90 percent said they use traditional Chinese herbs or remedies as treatment, but only 7 out of 100 turned to Western medicine for a solution.

“Most of them feel shy about telling doctors about their problems, or are overly concerned about the side-effects of pills,” said Liu Defeng, a physician at Peking University Third Hospital.

Most Chinese respondents worried about the consequences of taking prescriptive drugs, like Viagra. Only 14 percent thought Sildenafil, the main component of Viagra, was safe to consume.

Pierre Gaudreault, chief marketing officer for Pfizer in China, said if erectile dysfunction is left untreated, though not life-threatening, the condition could “affect people’s mental and physical health, or even the happiness of their family.”

The nature of sexual desire: Why less sex does not mean less love

Sexual Health

The nature of sexual desire: Why less sex does not mean less love

Tuesday, 27 October 2015 – 10:15pm IST | Agency: dna webdesk

  • Dr Deepak K Jumani

    In our country, one out of every three married couples struggle with problems associated with mismatched sexual desire. This leaves one person feeling routinely rejected and the other incessantly hounded and perpetuates a nasty cycle of resentment. Different sex drives can wreak havoc outside the bedroom too. This sort of breakdown has put several marriages at risk of infidelity and divorce.

    The reason humans desire sex is due to the hormone testosterone, which is a predominantly male hormone. It’s also the desire hormone, or the drive hormone or libido hormone. Men and women are different, not better or worse, just different.

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    Due to low free bioavailable testosterone, many women feel that they no longer have any interest in sex or sexual pleasure as they used to in the past, or maybe the clitoris is just not as sensitive as it used to be or it may even be painful to stimulate. There is no exact level of testosterone that correlates with good sexual functioning and appropriate levels of sexual desire. As men age, there is a steady decline in testosterone levels. In women, testosterone is present about one tenth of the amount usually found in men. Since testosterone maintains erectile tissue and part of a person’s desire for sex, it helps support the clitoris and its adjoining erectile tissue as well as a woman’s libido. As a woman ages, her ovaries gradually decrease production of both estrogen and testosterone and almost completely stop doing so at menopause. If a woman has her ovaries removed, the decline in hormones is abrupt and more drastic. Thus, women may find it difficult to lubricate when they are sexually aroused. If, after considerable amount of stimulation, a woman is still experiencing any of these symptoms as well as a significant change in her level of sexual desire, she may benefit from having some testosterone replacement. But even some women who are far from reaching menopause may face difficulties because of low testosterone.

    The most common cause of this in today’s society is hormonal birth control. This includes the pill, cervical rings, injections, and hormone-coated IUDs. All of these raise the level of protein that attaches to estrogen and testosterone, leaving less of the free bioavailable hormone to circulate and have its effect on the tissues of the body. Since testosterone is bound very tightly to this protein, even a small increase in the protein’s production can drop the level of free testosterone (bioavailable testosterone) to problematic levels. Many a time, it is advisable to use alternate modes of birth control. Other biological desire killers are depression; estrogen producing tumours, hepatitis, low thyroid, high prolactin levels, stroke, epilepsy and pituitary gland diseases, and certain drugs that affect desire like blood pressure lowering drugs, cancer medications, tranquilizers, anti-depressants, ulcer medications etc.

    For a spouse low on desire, agree to compromise on the frequency of sex so it can be viewed as “win-win”. You need to begin thinking and feeling differently about the role of sex and sexuality in your life. Recognise that the partner with low desire always dominates and sets the pace for frequency and intensity of sexual relations. If you are not interested in sex because something in the relationship is wrong, try counseling. If the desire killer is not a relationship issue, it may be a medical problem. Try and get the medical problem corrected. Under proper medical supervision, precursors of testosterone like DHEA (dehydroepiandrosterone) or low dose of testosterone in the form of creams, pill, patch or drops, has helped countless individuals begin to feel some fire for sex in their relationship. Many Nutraceuticals combine L Arginine with Ginseng, Gingko Biloba, and Fenugreek in saponised form with minerals like Zinc and Magnesium to prove very promising. Regular exercise, 7-8 hours of good quality sleep every day, not having excess fat tissue, eliminating chronic stress, and having a good diet rich in zinc, are all natural ways to increase testosterone.

    Lastly, it is important to separate desire problems from relationship problems. Being supportive and trust is a fundamental building block in a relationship; however, it is important to have trust in oneself. By building a basic level of trust within oneself, one can begin to experience more satisfying and emotionally close relationships. Be honest about the root of the problem. People usually blame sexual disinterest on being “tired” or “stressed,” which often isn’t the full story. Adjust your expectations, older couples, in particular. Do something new and fun outside the bedroom, be it hiking or viewing an art gallery, watching a play, yoga, dance, meditation etc,  which can make you feel closer and pull you back in the mood. Instead of saying “no,” say when. Telling a partner, “Not now, but after dinner,” or let’s not do it today, but let’s hold each other and sleep together, is received much better than a flat-out rejection.

    It’s not just about different sex drives, but a complete lack of empathy about being in the other person’s shoes that causes problems. Couples could save themselves grief if they discuss expectations for sex as they plan their lives together, just as they discuss values around children and finances. But people mistakenly believe that sex is something that should naturally fall into place. Sex is not a personal decision, it’s an interpersonal decision. And, like everything else, low desire, has to be looked at as something that’s nurtured and can be managed. One must understand that less sex doesn’t necessarily mean less love.

    Dr Jumani is an MBBS(Bom), FIAMS, ACS(USA), Ph D. He is also a Diplomate American Board Certified Clinical Sexologist and Sexual Health Physician and Counsellor attached to Mumbai Police. You can contact him at deepak.jumani@gmail.com 

Use drama, songs to give sex education to the young

Reproductive Health

Use drama, songs to give sex education to the young

The number of young girls giving birth is alarming. Rape cases are rampant in our society. While we keep enjoying the fruits of the 21st century, early marriages and sexual abuses by the adults to the vulnerable young people is on the rise.

Sometimes back probably when I was not born, the elders gave the young people sex education. Their grandmothers taught girls while their grandfathers taught boys. Parents too played a crucial role in educating the children hence the society was upright.

During those affirmative years, the young people grew with knowledge and understanding of their anatomy even though technology was rudimentary. It was hard for our grandmothers those days to give birth before marriage. Finding virgins was an obvious thing and the institution of marriage was sacred.

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With advancement in technology, things have changed a great deal. Knowledge levels on economics, political and scientific spheres have improved. At secondary school, young people are passing exams year in year out yet socially they understand very little about their anatomy, sexual rights and love affairs.

We have left the young people to get knowledge on social media. Few girls understand their menstrual cycle. Many do not know what to do after rape while a good number indulge in relationships due to peer pressure.

It is obvious that if a girl does not understand her body and the reactions taking place in her development, she stands a chance of getting pregnant unknowingly. This is the reason why maternity rooms are full of young people at the expense of adults.

Partly we can blame the eroding society. Young people these days get little education on sexual reproductive health rights. In the 21st century, a typical young boy or girl should know where to report to or the first steps to take immediately after rape. Many do not even know the rights they are entitled to, yet they suffer in silence.

It is of help when youths grow while understanding their sexual reproductive health rights. One should get into a sexual relationship at will and not because a friend did coerce him/her or forced by an adult.

In the area of contraceptives, the best option available should be encouraged. Girls have died due to poor dosage of abortion pills while others visit quacks to terminate the unwanted pregnancy.

At universities and colleges, girls are over using contraceptives no wonder there are many pharmaceutical shops around Maseno University. Business people are taking advantage of the ignorance anyway.

If we cannot use written materials, then we can use drama, songs, spoken word and poems to pass information geared towards sexual reproductive health rights for the girl child.

At Maseno University, there is Ipas African Alliance (a Non- governmental Organisation) that is involved in training the students and the community on safe sexual behaviour.

Others can learn from them. For us to reduce early pregnancies, drugs and substance abuse, sexual transmitted infections we should support all measures put in place to help the girl child understand her sexual reproductive health rights.

By Steven Kubhoka

Pill for Low Libido in Women Goes on Sale on Saturday

Sexual Health

Pill for Low Libido in Women Goes on Sale on Saturday

2015-10-20

The so-called “little pink pill” — the controversial drug intended to boost flagging sex drive in women — goes on sale on Saturday.

Flibanserin (Addyi) is the first U.S. Food and Drug Administration-approved drug designed to help women with low libido. But that approval, announced in August, came with significant restrictions because the drug can cause severely low blood pressure and loss of consciousness, the FDA warned.

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Addyi’s label will include a boxed warning saying the drug shouldn’t be taken while drinking alcohol, and shouldn’t be used with certain other drugs and by women with liver problems.

And the once-daily pill, to be taken at night, can only be prescribed or dispensed by doctors and pharmacists who have been thoroughly briefed on the drug and its benefits and risks, the FDA added.

“Today’s approval provides women distressed by their low sexual desire with an approved treatment option,” Dr. Janet Woodcock, director of the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, said in a statement released Aug. 19. “The FDA strives to protect and advance the health of women, and we are committed to supporting the development of safe and effective treatments for female sexual dysfunction.”

Woodcock said Addyi will only be available through certified health care professionals and certified pharmacies “because of a potentially serious interaction with alcohol.”

Addyi is being marketed by Sprout Pharmaceuticals, based in Raleigh, N.C.

Dr. Holly Thacker, a women’s health specialist at the Cleveland Clinic, said the FDA’s approval of Addyi “provides an additional, helpful option for women across the country who experience sexual dysfunction. The medication has been studied in 11,000 women and it does improve sexual function in women who have certain sexual problems.

“It doesn’t treat all sexual dysfunction, it won’t help all women with sexual problems, but it will have a role in the therapy,” Thacker added. “Just like with any medication — adult women in conjunction with their physician can make an informed decision about whether this is an appropriate therapy for them.”

Dr. Elizabeth Kavaler, a urologist at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City, said: “Although the efficacy [effectiveness] of flibanserin is not clear, it seems to be safe. Couples will have the option of finding out for themselves whether or not it enhances their sexual relationship. It is clear that flibanserin will not address interpersonal or emotional problems. Nor will it address issues related to painful intercourse.”

The pursuit of a drug for women with low libido has been like a Holy Grail for the pharmaceutical industry, given the enormous popularity and financial windfall from the erectile dysfunction drugs Viagra and Cialis for men since the late 1990s.

And Addyi’s long road to FDA approval — it had been rejected twice by the agency since 2010 — was a contested affair.

Proponents said the drug would provide an important option for millions of American women who suffer from hypoactive sexual desire disorder, which causes a persistent or recurring lack of desire.

“This would bring another option to the table that doesn’t currently exist,” said Fred Wyand, spokesman for the American Sexual Health Association, a group that testified in favor of flibanserin during an FDA hearing in June.

But opponents cited a host of concerns about the drug. Among the concerns: symptoms of extreme fatigue and the potential for accidental injuries, as well as questions about the medication’s effectiveness.

An FDA advisory panel voted 18 to 6 in June to recommend the drug’s approval, but the endorsement was somewhat muted. The committee called the drug’s benefits “moderate” or “marginal,” and the panel members who voted yes said full FDA approval should come with conditions.

One of flibanserin’s detractors is psychotherapist Keesha Ewers, founder and chief medical officer of the Functional Sexology Institute, who contends the drug hasn’t been shown to be very effective.

Women in clinical trials for the drug reported, at best, an increase of one additional satisfying sexual event per month, according to FDA documents. Plus, clinical trials have also shown that the drug doesn’t appear to directly boost a woman’s libido, Ewers said.

“Not one person in the studies that have been done has actually reported an increase in sexual desire,” she told HealthDay. “What has been reported is a decrease in the distress that is felt about lack of sexual desire.”

That distress is one of the clinical parameters used to diagnose a person with hypoactive sexual desire disorder. And that is what has allowed the drug’s proponents to state that it can be useful in treating some women who have sexual dysfunction.

There are also some safety concerns about flibanserin. One in five women in clinical trials reported that the drug caused feelings of extreme fatigue and sedation. Accidental injuries associated with this fatigue occurred twice as often in women taking flibanserin compared with those taking a placebo, FDA documents showed.

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Flibanserin’s backers mounted a marketing campaign called “Even the Score,” which used a gender-rights argument to advocate for the drug’s approval. The campaign received funding from Sprout Pharmaceuticals, Palatin Technologies and Trimel Pharmaceuticals, all of which are working on drugs to treat female sexual disorders.

A number of high-profile groups such as the National Organization of Women signed onto the campaign, which argued that women deserve a medication that helps sexual function since men already have Viagra and Cialis.

“We live in a culture that has historically discounted the importance of sexual pleasure and sexual desire for women,” NOW President Terry O’Neill said in an NPR interview earlier this year. “And, I fear that it’s that cultural attitude that men’s sexual health is extremely important, but women’s sexual health is not so important. “

Other groups in support of Even the Score included the American Sexual Health Association, the Association of Reproductive Health Professionals, the National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists, the Society for Women’s Health Research, and the Institute for Sexual Medicine.

“What makes me sad, worried, and to be honest, annoyed, is that there are no medical options available for women for whom biological factors are at play. Not one,” said Lynn Barclay, the American Sexual Health Association’s president and CEO, who testified before the FDA advisory committee in June.

Ewers said it’s a false argument to compare flibanserin for women to Viagra or Cialis for men. Viagra works on a man’s body, stimulating blood flow to create easy erections. “That’s an actual physiological function — erection,” she said. “It’s not affecting their desire. It’s affecting their plumbing.”

More information

Learn more about sexual dysfunction in women from the National Women’s Health Information Resource Center.

SOURCES: Holly L. Thacker, M.D., FACP, director, Cleveland Clinic Center for Specialized Women’s Health, and professor, Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine of Case Western Reserve University; Elizabeth Kavaler, M.D., urologist, Lenox Hill Hospital, New York City; Aug. 18, 2015, news release, U.S. Food and Drug Administration; Fred Wyand, spokesman, American Sexual Health Association; Keesha Ewers, Ph.D., chief medical officer, Functional Sexology Institute

Copyright © 2015 HealthDay. All rights reserved.

Can Penile Implant Surgery Cure ED?

Sexual Health

Can Penile Implant Surgery Cure ED?

2015-10-12

Though ED medications are successful in 85% of cases, there are drawbacks. They have to be taken at a certain time. Some cannot be taken with food. And sex has to be planned around them, making it less spontaneous and for many couples, less fulfilling. Injections work in about 15-20 minutes. But this is still less than ideal for those who enjoy getting intimate when the mood strikes. Now many urologists are offering another option: penile implant surgery.

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Such implants have been around since the early 70’s. They are often used in cases of treatment-resistant dysfunction. Once ED drugs made their way to the market in the late 90’s, implants were cast aside. But now advances in technology are once again making them popular. Each year 25,000 of these procedures are performed, with a satisfaction rate of 94%.

This is a 45 minute procedure. Though an urologist may perform it, it is often handled by an implant specialist. The surgeon makes a tiny incision. Next, a small pump is placed within the scrotum. This draws sterile water from a reservoir which is placed against the wall of the abdomen. When the pump is pressed the water fills two cylinders on either side of the penis, causing an erection to occur. There is a little bit of pain associated with the surgery. But most patients find that it is minimal, and the end result, worthwhile. Medicare along with most other insurance companies cover the procedure. There is a risk of infection but it is low, a mere 5%. It usually takes about four weeks after the operation for the patient to be ready to try it out. Performance is not limited to one orgasm. In fact, a man can engage in intercourse as many times as his partner likes. Speak with your doctor or an urologist if you are interested in a penile implant, or if you are experiencing any degree of ED.

The Impact of Sex on Heart Disease

Sexual Health

The Impact of Sex on Heart Disease

2015-09-30

Those who suffer from cardiovascular disease (CVD) have to worry about a lot of things like their diet, exercise, their stress level and their sex life. Lots of us have read a news story or saw a scene in a movie where someone has died of a heart attack during sex. So is it safe for those with CVD to have intercourse? According to guidelines set by the American Heart Association (AHA) if your condition has stabilized, it’s probably safe to have sex. Glenn N. Levine, M.D. was the lead author on the association’s scientific statement on the matter. He is professor of medicine at Baylor College of Medicine in Texas. Levine said sexual activity is an important quality of life issue for those wrestling with CVD and their partners. Those scenes where a heart attack during intercourse ends someone’s life are mostly fiction. In truth, such cases are extremely rare.

Levine said that there are couples who avoid sexual activity even when it is safe to do so for fear of disturbing one person’s condition. “On the other hand, there are some patients for whom it may be reasonable to defer sexual activity until they’re assessed and stabilized,” he said. If you have severe CVD symptoms, seek treatment and wait to have sex until stabilization has occurred. Some people avoid talking to their doctor about their sex life when they have a heart condition. But this is an important conversation to have. Don’t wait for the physician to bring it up. Perhaps the doctor should. But he or she may be so preoccupied with other aspects that they forget to ask about it. If you have had severe CVD ask your doctor when it is okay to engage in normal sexual activity. Also discuss with him or her about taking part in a fitness program. Regular physical activity has been proven to lower the risk of complications after a heart attack, heart failure or cardiac rehabilitation. If you have experienced sexual dysfunction, speak with your doctor and see if it is related to your condition.