Sudden Cardiac Death Rarely Occurs During Sexual Intercourse Among The Young

Sudden cardiac death (SCD) can occur during various circumstances such as during physical exercise and sexual intercourse, however, a forensic study has found that 0.2% of natural deaths that underwent an autopsy were associated with sexual activity and predominantly involved middle-aged men.

Sudden arrhythmic death syndrome was the most common autopsy finding, the authors suggest that primary electrical disease may be something to keep an eye on among this population. 

Data was examined from nearly 6,847 SCD cases that were referred to a single cardiac facility from January 1994 to August 2020 to find that only 0.2% of SCD cases occurred during or within one of hour of sex, and the mean age at death was 38 years old, additionally, 65% of the patients who died were men. 

“Before referral, all SCD cases underwent a detailed autopsy, including a toxicological screening, to exclude noncardiac causes,” wrote lead author Gherardo Finocchiaro, MD, Ph.D., of St. George’s University of London, and colleagues. “SCD was defined as death occurring within 12 hours of apparent well-being. Clinical information was obtained from referring coroners, who were asked to complete a detailed questionnaire.”

“We believe these findings provide some reassurance that engaging in sexual activity is relatively safe in patients with a cardiac condition, especially in younger (aged <50 years) individuals,” the authors wrote.