Abstract
Occurrence of life threatening arrhythmias and sudden death during or following sexual activity is infrequent. We describe a patient with an implantable cardioverter defibrillator who developed increased ventricular ectopic activity followed by sustained ventricular tachycardia during extramarital coitus. A review of literature and management is discussed.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
REFERENCES
Bohlen, J. G., Held, J. P., Sanderson, M. O., & Patterson, R. P. (1984). Heart rate, rate-pressure product, and oxygen uptake during four sexual activities. Archives of Internal Medicine, 144, 1745–1748.
Cantwell, J. D. (1981). Sex and the heart. Medical Aspects of Human Sexuality, 15, 14–23.
Drory, Y., Fisman, E. Z., Shapira, Y., & Pines, A. (1996). Ventricular arrhythmias during sexual activity in patients with coronary artery disease. Chest, 109, 922–924.
Hellerstein, H. K., & Friedman, E. H. (1970). Sexual activity and the postcoronary patient. Archives of Internal Medicine, 125, 987–999.
Johnston, B. L., & Fletcher, G. F. (1979). Dynamic electrocardiographic recording during sexual activity in recent post-myocardial infarction and revascularization patients. American Heart Journal, 98, 736–741.
Kavanagh, T., & Shephard, R. J. (1977). Sexual activity after myocardial infarction. Canadian Medical Association Journal, 116, 1250–1253.
Lecomte, D., Fornes, P., & Nicolas, G. (1996). Stressful events as trigger of sudden death:Astudy of 43 medico-legal autopsy cases. Forensic Science International, 79, 1–10.
Masters, W. H., & Johnson, V. E. (1966). Human sexual response. Boston: Little, Brown & Co.
Masini, V., Romei, E., & Fiorella, A. T. (1980). Dynamic electrocardiogram in normal subjects during sexual activity. Giornale Italianp di Cardiologia, 10, 1442–1448.
Muller, J. E. (1999). Sexual activity as a trigger for cardiovascular events: What is the risk? American Journal of Cardiology, 84, 2N-5N.
Muller, J. E., Mittleman, A., Maclure, M., Sherwood, J. B., & Gofler, G. H. (1996). Triggering myocardial infarction by sexual activity. Low absolute risk and prevention by regular physical exertion. Determinants of Myocardial Infarction Onset Study Investigators. Journal of the American Medical Association, 275, 1405–1409.
Paolillo, V., Marra, S., Chiappa, E., Boncompagni, F., Oddenino, G., Spadaccini, F., et al. (1981). Influence of sleep, wakefulness and some daily activities on ventricular ectopic activity in recent myocardial infarction. Giornale Italiano di Cardiologia, 11, 12–22.
Stein, R. A. (1977). The effect of exercise training on heart rate during coitus in the post myocardial infarction patient. Circulation, 55, 738–740.
Ueno, M. (1963). The so-called coition death. Japanese Journal of Legal Medicine, 17, 330–340.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Safi, A.M., Rachko, M., Yeshou, D. et al. Sexual Activity as a Trigger for Ventricular Tachycardia in a Patient with Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator. Arch Sex Behav 31, 295–299 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1015209121678
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1015209121678