Psychosexual adjustment and counseling after myocardial infarction.

The current trend in cardiac rehabilitation is toward the empirical and systematic evaluation of the effectiveness of general and specific components. Clearly, resumption of sexual activity is important to the rehabilitation of patients and their partners. In fact, resumption of sexual behavior may be therapeutic in solidfying the marital relationship during stressful readjustment periods. A satisfying sexual relationship can be valuable as a step towards fostering self-confidence and a feeling of returning health. The cardiac rehabilitation program should strive for a multidisciplinary team approach and to initiate intervention and counseling as early as medically possible during the hospitalization. Counseling programs should always include the exploration of the possible concerns of patients and their partners about resumption of sexual activity. Patients should be advised as to the realities of their fears and provided with guidelines for facilitating a satisfying sexual relationship.