Roger Blumenthal: Is Sex OK For Heart Patients?

The Viagra ads always end with a warning to heart patients. When is it dangerous for a heart patient to have sex?

Roger Blumenthal: It is dangerous for heart disease patients to engage in sexual activity if they have frequent symptoms of angina. Men should not take Viagra or similar medications if they also need to take a special class of cardiac medications knows as nitrate. The most common types of nitrates include nitroglycerin or isosorbide mononitrate or dinitrate. The use of Viagra-like drugs in a person who has taken a nitrate within 36 hours can cause a very unsafe drop in blood pressure. It is always best to talk to your personal physician about what level of physical activity is safe to perform if you have a history of heart disease—whether it is sex or any other effort that might bring up a sweat.

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