According to researchers, a heart attack does not necessarily lead to another attack if it is followed by sex. Many people think that having sex after a heart attack could set off a repeat event. The research has been published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

Following review of data collected on 536 heart disease patients between the ages of 30 and 70, the researchers found that sexual activity needs same amount of exertion that is involved in taking a brisk walk or climbing two flights of stairs.

The researchers looked at the sexual activity experienced by patients in the 12 months prior to their heart attack and estimated the connection between the occurrence of their sexual encounters with future events, like having a fatal heart stroke, attack or cardiovascular death.

They found during 10 years of research that 100 adverse heart events were reported among the patients in the research. As per the researchers, sexual activity was not found to be a risk factor for future problems.

Study author Dr. Dietrich Rothenbacher, chair of the Institute of Epidemiology and Medical Biometry at Ulm University in Ulm, Germany, their data shows that sexual activity does not cause attack. Rothenbacher added, "Less than half of men and less than a third of women are getting information about sexual activity after heart attack from their doctors. It is important to reassure patients that they need not be worried and should resume their usual sexual activity".