What could cause chest pain after sexual intercourse?

Question

Hello doctor,

My husband is 55 years old and had two stents placed seven months ago due to a major blockage. Thankfully, it was caught in time because he exhibited symptoms prior to having a heart attack. He is on blood thinners and several other medications. He is quite active, and we maintain a healthy sex life, having intercourse two to three times a week. However, he has experienced lightheadedness after climaxing, and occasionally he has some chest discomfort. During our last two sexual encounters, he experienced severe chest pains immediately afterward and felt unwell for the rest of the day. He is stubborn and reluctant to discuss this with his doctor.

During his last appointment, he mentioned experiencing some discomfort after exertion, and the doctor reassured him that it was normal. However, this seems to be more than just discomfort. I am, of course, worried, but he is not convinced there is a problem. I am trying to understand what this could possibly be so that I can persuade him to return to the doctor or determine whether I should not worry, which would give me some peace of mind.

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome back to icliniq.com.

It is not normal to experience severe pain after exertion. Sexual activity involves significant exertion, and in general, heavy exertion is not recommended for heart patients. If sexual activity is essential, then medications need to be optimized. Firstly, I suspect he may have some minor blockages in addition to the major ones that have been stented, and these could be causing the current problems. Please let me know if there are any additional blockages mentioned in the angiography report. Also, you should inform the doctor about the sexual activity; there is no reason to feel shy about it. It is very common for patients to discuss sex with their doctors, and we do not find it odd.

I hope this helps you.

Thank you.