Relationship between cortisol and cholesterol in men with coronary artery disease and type A behavior.
To further understand the hormonal mechanisms linking behavior pattern and coronary artery disease (CAD), we investigated the relationship between 0930-hour plasma cortisol and cholesterol in relatively young males who had undergone coronary angiography and in a subgroup of individuals who had undergone the structured interview for classification of behavior pattern. A statistically significant association (p less than 0.05) was found between cortisol and cholesterol for individuals who had either minimal CAD (20% to 49% narrowing) or significant CAD (greater than or equal to 50% narrowing), but not for subjects without CAD. An association between cortisol and cholesterol was also found to be significant for the subgroup of individuals with Type A-1 behavior pattern, but not for those with Type A-2, X, or B behavior patterns. The findings suggest that hormonal mechanisms involving cortisol and cholesterol metabolism may be operative in individuals with CAD as well as in individuals with Type A-1 behavior.
D006328:Cardiac Catheterization; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood*; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000097:blood*
D002784:Cholesterol; D006854:Hydrocortisone