Advice about sex and my friend's heart problems - Heart Disorders Message Board

lsam · 10-10-2006, 05:20 PM

I am dating a 50 year old man who has heart problems. He takes several medicines for his blood pressure and to control his heart beat. Despite this, his bp still seems high (150/90 when I took it for him last week), though he says that is far lower than years ago. He told me that he passed a stress echo a couple of weeks ago other than having an enlarged heart and leaking valves.

He has ED from the medicines and has been using Viagra for us to have sex. His face becomes bright red after taking Viagra and I can feel his heart pounding long after we finish. That surprised me because he and I jog together and he seems to recover quickly from that activity.

A friend tells me that I am crazy to have sex with him because his heart could stop from the Viagra. I wasn't really worried until I felt how hard his heart was beating after sex. Are we being foolish? How risky are ED drugs for people with bad hearts?

Lenin · 10-11-2006, 06:28 AM

ED drugs and a bad heart aren't the best combination. But absent angina medications and potent antihypertensive drugs it should be worth the risk.
What is a definite No-No is to combine nitrates and ED drugs...that combo can be a killer because it causes a huge fall in BP with an accompanying racing heart.
Make sure he is NOT taking any nitrates.

Probably beta-blockers and ED drugs might be riskier than they are letting on as well.

lsam · 10-12-2006, 01:30 AM

Thanks, Lenin. I had read online about precautions with the nitrates and he assured me that he didn't use any of those and didn't have angina. BUT he does take a huge dose of a beta blocker twice a day, along with a couple of other blood pressure meds. So your comment about Viagra with beta blockers scares me. What could happen?

Apparently, the beta blocker didn't affect his blood pressure much, but it does keep his heart beat under control which is crucial. That's one of the things that was concerning me about his using Viagra. When we jog, he has to work hard just to get his heart rate up a little. His resting rate is usually in the low 50's. After sex with Viagra, his heart rate is low but it beats very hard. I can feel it lying next to him. I took his blood pressure while this was happening at it was 160/90 so it is not from a sudden drop in pressure.

Lenin · 10-12-2006, 06:57 AM

I guess it's okay.
But of course, sex with a person with heart problems always poses some risk.

I probably overstated the problem with beta-blockers and sildenafil but why not lay it at the feet of his doctor for his opinion.

An aside:

Quote:

In related news, Pfizer has dropped plans to develop a combination drug with a beta-blocker and Viagra called "Viaocker" to treat high blood pressure and still maintain an erection. We know where all the blood goes during an erection and it's not the brain

GOTTA love it!

Gojoe · 10-12-2006, 11:24 PM

I have ED from a combination of my heart problems and medications including a beta blocker. Seems that a failing heart causes other things to fail, too.

My cardiologist prescribed Viagra and assured me that it was ok since I could exercise without angina. He wanted me to take 50 mg, but that wasn't enough so I usually take 100. The only two negatives for me are the flushed face which I understand is very common and having to tell a new partner to be aware that I am using nitrates in case I have a heart attack. Not a pleasant conversation.