Professional guidelines say that doctors should counsel women and men about resuming sex after a heart attack. In the vast majority of cases, it is safe to resume sex after a heart attack. Although a large proportion of men and women report that they have not talked to a doctor about resuming sex after a heart attack, women are far less likely than men to have these conversations.

Not all of these questions will be relevant for everyone, but these are questions that women who’ve had a heart attack say they want answered.

1. My partner is really scared about whether sex is safe or could cause me harm. Would it be ok to include my partner in this discussion?

2. Please explain how my heart attack might affect my sexual function.

3. When is it safe to have sex again?

4. Are there any symptoms that might develop during or after sex that should cause me concern about my heart? What should I do if I have these symptoms?

5. Can I start taking estrogen again? Make sure your doctor knows what kind of estrogen (by mouth, by vagina) you were taking and why.

6. Could sex cause me to have another heart attack? TIP: The best available evidence shows that exceedingly few people have a heart attack during sex.

7. What’s the likelihood that a person dies from a heart attack during sex? The right answer here is that the likelihood of dying from a heart attack during sex is very, very low. In our research, people who had sex soon after a heart attack were LESS likely to die than people who didn’t have sex.

8. I was already having some problems with my sexual function before my heart attack. Is there someone who can help me?

9. Are there any medical treatments for sexual function problems in women that I should not use because of my heart attack?

10. Can I still drink a glass or two of wine if I go on a date or have a romantic dinner?