The spouse: a factor in recovery after acute myocardial infarction.

Literature supports the concept that the response of a patient's spouse influences the recovery process of a patient after an acute myocardial infarction (AMI). This was a 6-month, longitudinal, descriptive study of 17 married couples in which one of the pair experienced his or her first AMI. The study examined the question: "Is there a relationship between the spouse's social support, family stress, marital satisfaction, and sexual comfort and the patient's recovery after AMI?" Data were collected at three times during the 6-month period after AMI. Results showed a significant relationship between the spouse's family stress, marital satisfaction, and sexual comfort and the patient's recovery. Also, a significant relationship was found between the spouse's sexual comfort and marital satisfaction. This was the first reported study that examined sexual comfort over time and investigated sexual activities other than intercourse.