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Psychophysiological Responses to Mental Stress in Type A and Type B Subjects With and Without a Family History of Hypertension

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Biological and Psychological Factors in Cardiovascular Disease

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Abstract

Prospective association of the Type A behavior pattern (TABP) with an increased incidence of coronary heart disease (CHD) is well established (Cooper et al. 1981). Type A individuals are more likely than Type B individuals to develop arteriographically documented atherosclerosis (Zyzanski et al. 1976; Blumenthal et al. 1978; Frank et al. 1978), to experience either a symptomatic or an unrecognized myocardial infarction (Rosenman and Chesney 1981), and to suffer re-infarction (Jenkins et al. 1976), and sudden death (Friedman et al. 1973). They are described as hard- driving, ambitious, competitive, hostile, impatient, and hyperalert, whereas Type B individuals are defined by the relative absence of Type A attributes and are described as more relaxed, easygoing, satisfied, and unhurried (Rosenman et al. 1981). This Type A behavior pattern, which occurs in response to environmental stressors, contributes to CHD through mechanisms other than traditional risk factors such as hypertension, cholesterol, and smoking.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Cardiology, University Hospital, Kantonsspital, 4031, Basel, Switzerland

    F. B. Müller & F. R. Bühler

Authors
  1. C. Perini
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  2. F. B. Müller
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  3. F. R. Bühler
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Abteilung Epidemiologie und Sozialmedizin, Medizinische Hochschule Hannover, Konstanty-Gutschow-Straße, 3000, Hannover 61, Germany

    Thomas H. Schmidt

  2. Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, Baltimore County Cantonsville, MD, 21228, USA

    Theodore M. Dembroski

  3. Klinik Roderbirken, 5653, Leichlingen/Rhld. 1, Germany

    Gerhard Blümchen

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© 1986 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Perini, C., Müller, F.B., Bühler, F.R. (1986). Psychophysiological Responses to Mental Stress in Type A and Type B Subjects With and Without a Family History of Hypertension. In: Schmidt, T.H., Dembroski, T.M., Blümchen, G. (eds) Biological and Psychological Factors in Cardiovascular Disease. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-71234-0_17

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-71234-0_17

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-71236-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-71234-0

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