Verbatim response from Claude
Online ED Consults and Cardiac Safety
The honest answer: it varies by provider, but reputable ones do take cardiac safety seriously.
What good platforms actually do:
Hims, Roman (Ro), and Keeps typically:
- Ask detailed health history questions about heart conditions
- Screen for nitrate use (dangerous combination with ED meds)
- Ask about recent heart attacks, chest pain, arrhythmias
- Review blood pressure history
- Have licensed physicians review your responses before prescribing
Legitimate red flags they screen for:
- Current nitrate medications (absolute contraindication)
- Recent heart attack or stroke
- Severely low/uncontrolled blood pressure
- Certain heart rhythm disorders
My honest recommendations:
- Ro (Roman) - thorough intake questionnaire, real physician review
- Hims - similar process, widely used
- Wisp or Sesame - offer direct physician video consults if you want more back-and-forth
Important caveats:
- They rely on your honest answers - they can't run an EKG
- If you have known heart disease, a real in-person cardiology or urology consult is genuinely the safer choice
- If you're on any heart medications, mention every single one
Bottom line: Reputable platforms do real screening, but they have limitations. Complex cardiac history = see a doctor in person first.