An Unplanned Absence for Hillary Clinton at an Inopportune Time

Hillary Clinton in White Plains last week with her communications director, Jennifer Palmieri, left, and her longtime aide Huma Abedin, right. Credit Doug Mills/The New York Times

For much of the summer, Hillary Clinton deliberately kept a low public profile, fund-raising in private and pursuing a hands-off campaign strategy: If Donald J. Trump wanted to seize center stage by picking unpopular fights — with a Gold Star father, a federal judge, the leaders of his own party — then he was welcome to.

Now, sidelined with pneumonia just as she hoped to reintroduce herself with a series of more personal policy speeches, Mrs. Clinton has left herself uniquely vulnerable to an unplanned absence.

Her dismal public standing on questions of candor, combined with decades of conspiracy theories about her health, had already produced an uncommon challenge for aides and supporters seeking to tamp down speculation about her physical condition.

More substantively, among Democrats worried that Mrs. Clinton has failed to make a more forceful case for her candidacy since the party’s convention, her illness has reinforced the danger of a Trump-centric strategy — leaving the Clinton side without a memorable affirmative message to hammer home, especially when its chief messenger is on the mend.

The focus on Mr. Trump has done little to remedy Mrs. Clinton’s trust deficit with voters. And despite volumes of policy proposals, even Clinton supporters often strain to identify cohesive themes, independent of Mr. Trump, in her campaign.

Aides said last week that she planned to deliver several speeches aimed at connecting her personal motivations to her political agenda. The second in the series, slated for Tuesday, was postponed after she fell ill.

“They’ve clearly framed the race as a referendum on Donald Trump,” said Steve McMahon, a longtime Democratic strategist. “That does create a vacuum and a greater level of interest in things like this that, frankly, probably have no special significance.”

In recent days, with the election nearing its final stretch, Mrs. Clinton had shown signs of more openness after months of encouragement from advisers to hold more news conferences, sit for more interviews and brandish the dry charm they have encountered in private. Last week, she debuted a new campaign plane with room for reporters to fly with her and stood for extended questions from her traveling press corps, for the first time in several months, without major incident.

The campaign also introduced a new advertisement, a largely positive spot focused on Mrs. Clinton’s history of working with Republicans. She is seated, speaking directly to the camera, evoking a biographical video from the Democratic National Convention in July that highlighted her career accomplishments and compassion.

“They’re going back to that part of the convention that got lost in the month of August,” said Bob Shrum, a veteran Democratic adviser and strategist.

Brian Fallon, a campaign spokesman, said that Mrs. Clinton would continue her speech tour once she returned to full health, with addresses focused on “an inclusive economy,” “a call to national service” and “a vision for how we should prioritize the condition of kids and families.”

“We’re going to pick up right where we left off in terms of sparking a conversation about her aspirational vision for the country,” Mr. Fallon said in an interview. “I think that that will be far more enduring in the course of this campaign than this brief focus on this case of pneumonia.”

But the diagnosis has proved particularly ill timed, not least because of recent ominous insinuations from Republicans, including Mr. Trump, that Mrs. Clinton’s health was faltering.

In the past, she has tried to deflect questions with humor, opening a jar of pickles to demonstrate her vitality on “Jimmy Kimmel Live” last month and asking the host to take her pulse. This time, there has been no such attempt at levity.

Her campaign’s handling of the episode has also exacerbated an impression that she is overly guarded, a trait that Clinton allies have long attributed to an endless feedback loop: She retreats to secrecy because she distrusts the news media, they say, creating a sense that there is something to hide, which makes reporters more wary.

“The past impressions of Hillary Clinton help fuel the questions about being transparent about her health,” said Joe Trippi, a Democratic operative who helped steer campaigns for Howard Dean and Richard A. Gephardt, among others. “No one would have asked them of Dick Gephardt.”

Still, in this particular instance, Mrs. Clinton’s team has acknowledged some regrets. After she abruptly left a ceremony for the 15th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks, her campaign did not disclose her whereabouts for over an hour.

Several hours later, aides announced that she had been diagnosed with pneumonia — two days earlier.

On Monday, staff members were determined to take the blame for the secrecy and to shield Mrs. Clinton from the criticism.

“We could have done better,” Jennifer Palmieri, Mrs. Clinton’s communications director, wrote on Twitter.

“That’s on the staff,” Mr. Fallon told MSNBC.

“That’s on us,” Robby Mook, her campaign manager, later told the network.

Mr. Mook was referring to the gap between Mrs. Clinton’s departure from the memorial and the campaign’s announcement of what had happened. Some supporters, though, suggested that even more disclosure was necessary.

“I would have, on the initial diagnosis, made that public,” said Ed Rendell, the former governor of Pennsylvania. “They’re probably a little bit gun-shy.”

Mr. Fallon said there was never “an intent to conceal the diagnosis” and speculated that Mrs. Clinton might have told the traveling press corps about it on her own this week, had she not become overheated at the memorial on Sunday and changed her travel schedule.

Mr. Rendell echoed several other Democrats who predicted that the episode would be largely forgotten if Mrs. Clinton returned to the campaign trail soon, especially if she delivers a commanding performance at the first presidential debate in two weeks.

But after a trying summer for Mr. Trump, during which he seemed to set off controversy almost daily, he has displayed something approaching self-discipline in recent days. He has often focused on Mrs. Clinton’s remark at a fund-raiser last week that half of his supporters belonged in a “basket of deplorables.”

The events over the weekend only heightened Democrats’ anxiety about a race some had thought would effectively be over by now, given Mr. Trump’s historic unfavorable ratings and the Democrats’ built-in advantages on the electoral map.

Dan Pfeiffer, a former top adviser to President Obama, preached calm. He said that while “the last couple of days could have gone better,” the main cost to the Clinton campaign had been “playing defense instead of offense” while parrying questions about her health.

“That is less of a problem because she is winning,” Mr. Pfeiffer said, citing Mrs. Clinton’s continued advantage in polls, though some have shown a tightening race. “Every day the race doesn’t move is a win for her. Trump can’t afford to trade baskets at this point.”

________

By MATT FLEGENHEIMER SEPT. 13, 2016

The New York Times

Find out what you need to know about the 2016 presidential race today, and get politics news updates via Facebook, Twitter and the First Draft newsletter.

Highest September temperature since 1949 as 32.2C recorded

Sunbathers were on the beach in Brighton from the morning - copyright PA

Temperatures for September in the UK soared to a 67-year high on Tuesday, reaching 32.2C (89.9F) by lunchtime at London's Heathrow Airport.

The UK last recorded a temperature above 32C (89.6F) in the same month in 1949. The warm weather is forecast to continue for England until Friday.

Public Health England (PHE) and NHS England have both urged caution, saying the weather can pose a risk to health.

Meanwhile yellow warnings for rain are in place for other parts of the UK.

As much as 30mm (one inch) of thundery, torrential rain has been forecast for some parts of northern England and south-east Scotland.

It could cause flash flooding and travel disruption during the afternoon and evening, the Met Office said.

Night heat alert

The highest temperature of 2016 so far was 33.9C on 24 August at Gravesend in Kent. The September record was 35.6C (96.1F) in 1906, in Bawtry, South Yorkshire.

NHS England has declared a level-two heat alert, which means there is a high chance that an average temperature of 30C (86F) by day and 15C (59F) overnight will occur over the next two to three days.

These temperatures can have a "significant effect" on a person's health if they last for at least two days and the night in between, it said.


The East of England, the South East, and the East Midlands are expected to have some of the hottest weather.

Aberdeen and Glasgow will possibly see temperatures of 20C (68F) to 23C (73.4F), and there is a chance Aviemore could hit 24C (75.2F).

 

Public Health England said people should think about what they could do to stay cool during the heatwav - copyright PA

Dr Thomas Waite, from the extreme events team at PHE, said: "Think today about what you can do, and for those around you, to stay cool during the daytime and particularly at night.

"Much of the advice on beating the heat is common sense and for most people there's nothing to really worry about.


"But for some people, such as older people, those with underlying health conditions and those with young children, summer heat can bring real health risks."

---

Why is it so hot?

 

copyright PA

Jacob Cope, BBC Weather Centre Meteorologist

Hurricane Hermine, which hit Florida in early September, pushed large kinks into the jet stream - large atmospheric waves which lock our weather patterns in place. For Spain and Portugal, that meant temperatures rising to 10C above average last week.

A large area of high pressure centred over northern Europe has brought southerly winds, which have drawn this warm air northwards, reaching our shores today. And we have mainly clear skies across much of England, so we're topping it up ourselves.

The hottest spots on Tuesday are likely to be in a triangle between London, Cambridge and Nottingham with 31C (87.8F) likely and 32C (89.6F) very possible. The last time we saw 31C in September was in 1973. If we get to 31.6C (88.88) this would match the temperature recorded in Gatwick in September 1961.

It's very doubtful that we will break the record though, as a 1906 heat wave brought September temperatures of 35.6C (96.08F).

---

The high temperatures predicted means that Britain could be as warm as Bangkok in Thailand, and hotter than forecasts for Madrid and Los Angeles.

Dr Waite added: "The hot weather won't make life difficult for all of us; indeed, many of us will make the most of it when the sun shines.


"But some people may not be able to adapt to the extra strain hot weather will put on their bodies and may feel the ill-effects.

"Each year we hear stories of people who have fallen seriously ill because, even though it's hotter, they may wear clothes which are too warm for hot weather, they may not drink enough or just try to do too much."

Dr Waite advised people to close curtains on windows that face the sun during the day, and to open windows once the sun is no longer on them to get a breeze.

He added that people should think about turning off electrical devices, as they can generate unwanted heat.
______
Source: BBC NEWS

Yet another reason wine is good for you

Photo: Shutterstock

Wine drinkers who stop and smell the rosé may be more likely to stave off Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease.

A study recently published in Frontiers in Human Neuroscience found that master sommeliers — who have acute senses of smell — also have larger, thicker parts of the brain that are vulnerable to Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s than non-wine experts.

“Though we don’t know for sure, there is a possibility that when it comes to the brain, thicker is better,” Dr. Sarah Banks, head of neuropsychology at the Cleveland Clinic in Las Vegas and author of the study, tells The Post. “It seems like if you have more brain in those areas, it’ll take longer to feel the effects of the disease, but it’s speculation.”


Banks performed brain scans on 13 master sommeliers and 13 non-wine experts while they smelled wine and fruits and found that the former group had a larger brain reaction to smell — specifically in the areas of the brain that store memory.

Harley Carbery, master sommelier at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas and one of the study’s subjects, says his profession requires him to home in on his senses.

“Sommeliers tend to smell things and enjoy things a little bit longer, and we pick up notes and flavors that a lot of other people can’t,” Carbery, 38, tells The Post.

Banks admits more research needs to be done, but adds, “It’s encouraging that these areas have some plasticity, which means those parts of your brain can change even in adulthood.”

She notes that the findings could suggest that living like a sommelier and paying close attention to how things taste could improve your health in the long run. Cheers to that.
_______

By Christian Gollayan

NEW YORK POST

Old people sex is great for ladies, bad news for men

Photo: Shutterstock

Having great sex in the golden years is not great for everybody, according to a surprising new study.

Older men who have sex frequently and enjoy it increase their risk of having heart attacks and other heart issues, while a fun and active sex life for older women could boost health benefits, according to the study led by a Michigan State University scholar. 

Researchers say the findings – published online in the Journal of Health and Social Behavior – are part of the first large-scale study of how sex affects heart health in later life.

“These findings challenge the widely held assumption that sex brings uniform health benefits to everyone,” chief researcher Hui Liu, a Michigan State University associate professor of sociology, said in a statement Tuesday.

Researchers mulled over data from 2,204 people aged 57 to 85 gathered between 2005 and 2006 and then again five years later for the federally-funded study.


Older men who had sex once a week or more were more likely to experience heart problems five years later than men who had no sex at all, while no risk was found among older women, the study revealed.

“Strikingly, we find that having sex once a week or more puts older men at a risk for experiencing cardiovascular events that is almost two times greater than older men who are sexually inactive,” Liu said.

“Moreover, older men who found sex with their partner extremely pleasurable or satisfying had higher risk of cardiovascular events than men who did not feel so.”

Liu said that the findings suggest that the health of older men is more negatively impacted because they exert themselves more than younger men to achieve an orgasm, resulting in more strain on the heart.

“Because older men have more difficulties reaching orgasm for medical or emotional reasons than do their younger counterparts, they may exert themselves to a greater degree of exhaustion and create more stress on their cardiovascular system in order to achieve climax,” said Liu.

High testosterone levels and the use of medication designed to boost sexual function may also contribute to the harmful effects on men’s hearts, Liu said, though noting that scientific evidence to support this is rare.


On the other hand, older women with a robust sex life were found to have a lower risk of hypertension.

“For women, we have good news: Good sexual quality may protect older women from cardiovascular risk in later life,” Liu said.

The female sex hormone released during orgasm and the effects of “good quality relationships” may also improve women’s health, she said.
________

By Natalie Musumeci

NEW YORK POST

Obama suffers the slings and arrows of a restive world

Photos: Rodrigo Duterte has said some outrageous things.

After US president Barack Obama said he would raise extrajudicial killings in a meeting with Duterte, the Philippines President responded angrily on September 5, first in English then in Tagalog. As a result, Obama canceled the meeting.

 

(CNN) President Barack Obama bade farewell to G20 leaders in Hangzhou, China, on Monday by reminding them they're living in "turbulent" times -- and he wasn't kidding. 

His valedictory Asia tour, which moved on to Laos later in the day, is unfolding amid diplomatic slights and great power rivalries that reflect the unstable nature of the world Obama will bequeath to his successor in January.

New players

The controversies reflect the way international politics is now a stew of many competing, rising or resurgent powers that see fewer reasons to simply fall into line behind the United States than was the case following World War II and the Cold War. And it may suggest that foreign leaders are now just as interested in who will sit in the Oval Office next as they are in Obama as he heads for the exit.

Obama is not only confronting regimes in Russia, China and North Korea that are at times openly hostile to Washington -- or at least willing to make clear they don't want to play by its rules -- but over the long weekend, he got headaches from allies as well, notably Turkey and the Philippines.

"Who is he?," the fiery new President of the Philippines, Rodrigo Duterte, asked Monday at a news conference, referring to Obama. The Southeast Asian leader warned he would lash out if the US President raised extrajudicial killings in the Philippines' new war on drugs in an anticipated meeting in Laos.

"I am a president of a sovereign state. And we have long ceased to be a colony of the United States," Duterte continued. "Son of a b****, I will swear at you."

It was a stunning show of disrespect for an American president. And though Obama shrugged off the comments from the "colorful" leader during his own news conference Monday, the White House later canceled his meeting with Duterte, conferring instead with the President of South Korea. Duterte later apologized for any offense caused.  

Asian troubles

Duterte is not the first erratic president of the Philippines, but his unpredictability and willingness to fan latent colonial resentment against the US represents an unwanted disruption for the White House at the end of Obama's tenure. 

It comes in a regional cauldron where Beijing is making aggressive moves in the South China Sea and Southeast Asian nations are increasingly important to US efforts to rein in the rising power.

Obama had hoped to spend his final journey to Asia as president talking up the highlights of his pivot to the region. The fact sheet the White House put out at the conclusion of the G20 touted the economic progress under the eight years of the Obama presidency. And in one key outcome of the summit, he and Chinese President Xi Jinping formally agreed that both their nations would join the Paris Climate Agreement committing to cutting carbon emissions.

But that bright spot aside, his trip to China has offered reminders that since Obama took office in 2009 -- and especially since Xi emerged as a nationalist leader after taking office in 2012 -- Sino-US relations have worsened.

Obama comments on 'friction' during his China arrival 01:25

At the start of his trip, a logistical spat over missing airline airplane stairs needed for Obama to reach the red carpet at Hangzhou airport and verbal altercations between US and Chinese officials grabbed headlines. 

At one point, a White House official warned a Chinese counterpart against restricting access of pool reporters under the wing of Air Force One, noting that it was, after all, a US plane. "This is our country," the man yelled back.

Obama shrugged off that incident, too, acknowledging that disagreements over press access often arise with China but contending that they were not emblematic of the US-China relationship.

The Republican hoping to succeed Obama, however, took a much dimmer view of the episode.

"Can you believe that the Chinese would not give Obama the proper stairway to get off his plane - fight on tarmac!" Donald Trump tweeted.

Beijing said that an "unprofessional" American press had "hyped" up the incident. 

"China has warmly and friendly welcomed all the leaders who are attending the G20 summit, why would we cause problems to the American delegations on purpose?" said Hua Chunying, China's foreign ministry spokesperson.

Either way, the flap served as a symbol of the tensions over issues of sovereignty that can occur between an ascending authoritarian state and an established democratic superpower used to getting its own way -- clashes that some analysts fear could play out on a geopolitical stage in years to come.

Frosty ties

Obama and Putin met in Hangzhou.

Another country that has expanded its power base by thumbing its nose at the United States -- Russia -- also grabbed the spotlight during the G20 summit. Obama and President Vladimir Putin were pictured on Monday locked in an unfriendly stare, clearly with little love lost between them.

"Typically, the tone of our meetings are candid, blunt, businesslike -- and this one was no different," was how Obama described it to reporters.

He referred to "gaps of trust" over Syria, warned that the US has "more capacity" both "offensively and defensively" when it comes to cyber espionage and stressed that the US has no intention of easing sanctions against Russia over its action in Ukraine.

The tough talks were a reminder that the "reset" of Russia relations that Obama pioneered at the start of his administration is now but a memory, while Putin has also taken advantage of chaos in the Middle East to reinstate Russian influence with Syria and Iran.

Turkish tensions

Obama meets Erdogan, promises cooperation 02:35

Obama also invested significant first-term political capital in improving relations with another foreign leader he met at the G20 -- President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey -- with whom tensions were on display in their joint appearance.

Even though Obama bemoaned the "terrible attempted coup" that failed to topple Erdogan in July, the Turkish President did not shy away from raising differences with the US in front of the press.

"All forms of terrorism are bad. All forms of terrorism are evil," Erdogan said, then mentioned the names of a Kurdish group with which the US is allied in Syria but is regarded by Ankara as a terrorist organization.

As he headed to Laos, Obama professed to being undeterred by the unpredictable unfriendly international environment at the end of his presidency.

"I think we all to have recognize these are turbulent times. A lot of countries are seeing volatile politics," he said at his news conference. "But then when you look back over the course of eight years, actually you find out things have gotten better.

"I tell my staff when they feel worn out sometimes that better is always good," he added. "It may not be everything that needs to get done, but if it's better than before we started, we'll take it."

 _______

By Stephen Collinson, CNN

Updated 1422 GMT (2222 HKT) September 6, 2016

WHO revise STD treatment guidelines as threat of antibiotic resistance escalates

When used correctly and consistently, condoms are one of the most effective ways people can avoid catching STDs, say global health experts.

The growing global threat of antibiotic resistance has prompted the World Health Organization to update treatment guidelines for three sexually transmitted diseases: gonorrhea, syphilis, and chlamydia.

The World Health Organization (WHO) say that in general, antibiotics successfully cure all three sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), which are caused by bacteria.


However, the WHO note that these three diseases often go undiagnosed and are becoming increasingly difficult to treat, and now, because of misuse and overuse, some antibiotics have no effect at all.

The United Nations health agency estimates that every year, 131 million people are infected with chlamydia, 78 million are infected with gonorrhea, and 5.6 million with syphilis.

Dr. Ian Askew, WHO's director of reproductive health and research, says:

"Chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis are major public health problems worldwide, affecting millions of peoples' quality of life, causing serious illness and sometimes death."

The biggest concern is gonorrhea - and the one for which new treatment guidelines, not updated since 2003, are most urgently needed, say the WHO.

Multidrug-resistant gonorrhea strains that do not respond to any available antibiotics have already been detected and are considered untreatable.


A recent report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the United States says the growing threat of untreatable gonorrhea, together with rising rates of the disease, means preventing new infections is more important than ever.

'Condoms are the most effective protection against STDs'

Although antibiotic resistance in chlamydia and syphilis is less common, it does exist, note the WHO, and their prevention and treatment is also critical.

The organization says that when used correctly and consistently, condoms are one of the most effective methods of protection against STDs.

If they are not diagnosed and treated, gonorrhea, syphilis, and chlamydia can cause serious health problems and complications for women, including: pelvic inflammatory disease, ectopic pregnancy, and miscarriage.

For pregnant women, gonorrhea, syphilis, and chlamydia infections raise the chance of stillbirth and newborn death.

The three diseases can also double or treble a person's risk of HIV infection and untreated gonorrhea, and chlamydia can also make both men and women infertile.

The new guidelines for treating the three sexually transmitted diseases are based on the latest evidence about the most effective available treatments.

Start using new guidelines straight away, urge WHO

The WHO are urging countries to immediately start using the updated guidelines - which are consistent with the global action plan on antibiotic resistance adopted by governments at the World Health Assembly in May 2015.


Gonorrhea is caused by the bacterium Neisseria gonorrhoeae that infects the genitals, rectum, and throat. Widespread resistance to antibiotics means older and cheaper drugs no longer kill the bacterium.

Among other things, the new guidelines urge health authorities to advise doctors to prescribe whichever antibiotic is likely to be most effective, depending on local patterns of drug resistance.

The WHO do not recommend quinolones for the treatment of gonorrhea, due to widespread high levels of resistance.

Syphilis is caused by the bacterium Treponema pallidum, which spreads via contact with a sore on the genitals, anus, rectum, lips, or mouth. It can also spread from mother to child during pregnancy. If an infected pregnant women goes untreated, and her fetus becomes infected, it can to die.

The new WHO guidelines recommend a single dose of benzathine penicillin for the cure of syphilis. The antibiotic - which is given as an injection into the buttock or thigh - is considered the most effective against syphilis. It is better and cheaper than oral antibiotics.

The organization notes there are reports of shortages of benzathine penicillin in regions with high burdens of syphilis and says they are working with partners to resolve the problem.

Chlamydia is the common bacterial STD caused by infection with Chlamydia trachomatis. People with this infection are often also co-infected with gonorrhea. While most people infected with chlamydia experience mild or no symptoms, others have discharge and feel a burning sensation when urinating. However, even if no symptoms emerge, the disease can still damage the reproductive system.
________

Written by Catharine Paddock PhD

Published: Thursday 1 September 2016

MEDICAL NEWS TODAY

Sexual problems more common among young women after heart attack

More women than men who reported no sexual problems at study baseline developed problems in the year after the heart attack.

Impaired sexual activity and sexual function problems are more common among young women than men in the year following a heart attack, finds a study published in JAMA Cardiology.

Almost 20 percent of acute myocardial infarctions, also known as AMIs - or more universally as heart attacks - occur among people between the ages of 18-55 years, and one third of these people are women.

While most younger adults who experience a heart attack are reported to be sexually active before the event, little is known about sexual activity or sexual function of those patients in the period following a heart attack.

Previous studies have shown women to be less likely than men to receive counseling about sex after a heart attack.


Stacy Tessler Lindau, M.D., M.A.P.P., of the University of Chicago, and colleagues conducted research to analyze patterns of sexual activity and function and identify indicators of a decrease in sexual activity in the year after a heart attack.

The team used data from the Variation in Recovery: Role of Gender on Outcomes of Young AMI Patients (VIRGO) study - a multicenter study of U.S. and Spanish patients that investigates the differences in the paths of recovery between men and women in the year after heart attack - which took place from 2008-2012.


The VIRGO study includes data on sexual activity and function of heart attack patients from 103 U.S. hospitals and 24 Spanish hospitals. Participants were assessed at entry to the study (baseline), at 1 month and 1 year.

A total of 2,802 patients between the ages of 18-55 years were included in the analysis, of which 1,889 - 67.4 percent - were women. The average age of participants was 49 years.

Men more likely than women to resume sexual activity

Results showed that among patients who were sexually active at baseline, men (64 percent) were more likely than women (55 percent) to have resumed sexual activity by 1 month and by 1 year - 94 percent and 91, respectively - after a heart attack.

Among people who were sexually active before and after a heart attack, 40 percent of women and 55 percent of men reported no sexual function problems in the year after the attack. Additionally, more women than men - 42 percent versus 31 percent - who reported no sexual problems on entry to the study developed one or more problems in the year after the heart attack.

At the 1-year follow-up, the most common sexual problems among women included lack of interest (40 percent), trouble lubricating (22 percent), and difficulty breathing (20 percent). Erectile difficulties (22 percent), lack of interest (19 percent), and anxiety about sexual performance (16 percent) were the most common problems among men.

 

Few men across all hospitals in both the U.S. and Spain reported the use of medications to treat erectile dysfunction at baseline, 1 month, or 1 year after a heart attack.

Patients who had not communicated with a physician about sex in the first month following a heart attack were more likely to delay resuming sexual activity. In the year after the attack, women were less likely (27 percent) than men (41 percent) to receive counseling regarding restarting sexual activity.

Findings could help expand couseling, care guidelines

Significant indicators of the probability of never resuming sexual activity in the year following heart attack included older age, unpartnered status, higher stress levels, and diabetes.

The authors write:

"Patients want to know what level of sexual function to expect during recovery from AMI. Our findings can be used to expand counseling and care guidelines to include recommendations for advising patients on what to expect in terms of post-AMI sexual activity and function. Attention to modifiable risk factors and improved physician counseling may be important levers for improving sexual function outcomes for young women and men after AMI."

Limitations of the study include that the findings relied on patient self-reporting, which may have introduced recall bias, and a higher proportion of partnered people in the analytic sample could produce an upward bias on the sexual activity and sexual problem estimates.


Finally, a larger sample size and additional data would be needed to examine the effects of specific comorbidities, medications, procedures, tests, and effects of rehabilitation, prolonged or rehospitalization, or a subsequent heart attack or other health events on sexual activity.

_______

Written by Hannah Nichols

Published: Thursday 1 September 2016 

MEDICAL NEWS TODAY