Because sex is a form of exercise, it can help you manage the rapid heartbeat of atrial fibrillation. The chaotic beating of atrial fibrillation , a condition that causes your heart to quiver rapidly, can be frightening — even if it only lasts for a short time. It's natural to be afraid that any form of exertion, including sex, will bring on another episode. It's also natural for the partner who doesn't have the cardiac condition to be concerned. But fears of negative consequences from having sex when you're living with atrial fibrillation are largely unfounded.

Elliott et al. Atrial fibrillation AF is a significant and growing contributor to morbidity, mortality, and preventable stroke. One strategy that has received great interest is the control of cardiac risk factors, increasingly recognized to be an important and targetable contributor to the likelihood of AF.

Context: Stroke is a serious complication associated with atrial fibrillation AF. Women with AF are at higher risk of stroke compared with men. Reasons for this higher stroke risk in women remain unclear, although some studies suggest that undertreatment with warfarin may be a cause.