Intimacy and sex after cardiac arrest or ECMO: what to ask your care team
What the sources say
Changes in sexual desire or function are among the effects survivors report, and medicines can have side effects.Source:American Heart Association
The American Heart Association suggests asking your care team "When can I be intimate with my partner?"Source:American Heart Association
Some people worry that sex may bring on a cardiac arrest or an ICD shock. For most people with an ICD, sexual activity is not risky, because the device is programmed to manage normal increases in heart rate.Source:NIH (NHLBI)
A partner usually feels nothing, or just a tingle, if the device fires during sex. It is not harmful.Source:NIH (NHLBI)
If your device gives you unneeded or many shocks, your provider may suggest avoiding sexual activity until your condition is stable.Source:NIH (NHLBI)
Questions to ask your care team
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Call 911 if...
- Chest pain, shortness of breath or feeling faint during any activity: stop and call 911.Source:American Heart Association
Quick answers
Is sex safe with an ICD?
The NIH says that for most people with an ICD, sexual activity is not risky, because the device is programmed to manage normal increases in heart rate. Talk with your care team about when to resume, and about your own situation.
Source:NIH (NHLBI)Where this comes from
General information, not medical advice. Talk to your care team.