Prevalence of Type A Behavior in Untreated Hypertensive Individuals

• Published in: Hypertension (Dallas, Tex. 1979) Vol. 18; no. 1; pp. 72 - 78
• Main Authors: Irvine, Jane, Garner, David M, Craig, Heather M, Logan, Alexander G
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Philadelphia, PA American Heart Association, Inc 01-07-1991; Hagerstown, MD Lippincott
• Subjects: Adult; Arterial hypertension. Arterial hypotension; Biological and medical sciences; Blood and lymphatic vessels; Blood Pressure; Cardiology. Vascular system; Clinical manifestations. Epidemiology. Investigative techniques. Etiology; Female; Humans; Hypertension - psychology; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Personality Assessment; Type A Personality; Social environment; Human; Hypertension; Type A behavior; Risk factor; Cardiovascular disease; Statistical study
• ISSN: 0194-911X; 1524-4563
• DOI: 10.1161/01.HYP.18.1.72

Type A behavior has been associated with coronary heart disease as well as high cholesterol and smoking, major risk factors for coronary heart disease, but the data indicating a similar association with hypertension are inconsistent Since past studies have usually based hypertension on a single blood pressure assessment or have often included treated hypertensive patients, this inconsistency is not surprising. The current study compared the prevalence of Type A behavior (assessed by Rosenmanʼs structured interview) between 109 untreated hypertensive subjects and 109 age-, sex-, ethnic-, and occupation-matched normotensive subjects. Hypertension status was based on five repeated assessments over a 5-month period. Results indicated that Type A behavior is more prevalent in untreated, mildly hypertensive employed individuals than occupationally matched normotensive subjects. Type A component analysis confirmed the importance of hostility and certain vigorous voice stylistics in predicting cardiovascular conditions. These findings, taken together with the evidence linking Type A behavior with high cholesterol and cigarette smoking, further support the view that this behavior pattern is associated with increased risk of coronary heart disease.