Ischemic ECG changes are found more often in asymptomatic men with a coronary prone behaviour pattern.
Type A behaviour has been related to coronary heart disease (CHD) as an independent risk factor. Therefore, ischemic electrocardiographic (ECG) changes may be more prominent in Type A than in Type B individuals. ECG abnormalities were assessed by the Cardiac Infarction Injury Score (CIIS), which has predictive power for sudden death. In 100 healthy men aged 30-45 yr, the CIIS was related to cardiovascular risk factors such as age, blood pressure, smoking, family history of CHD and behaviour pattern groups defined by the Structured Interview (46 Type A, 20 Type X and 34 Type B subjects). The distribution of the CIIS was different among the behaviour pattern groups (p < 0.05) and was shifted towards higher ischemic scores in Type A subjects. These findings suggest that clinically asymptomatic persons with Type A behaviour have a greater probability of suffering ischemic heart disease and possible sudden death.
Perini
C
C
Dept of Behavioural Sciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Zürich.
Nil
R
R
Bolli
P
P
Bättig
K
K
Bühler
F R
FR
D000328:Adult; D001143:Arousal; D004198:Disease Susceptibility / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D004562:Electrocardiography; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology; D017202:Myocardial Ischemia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology; D010555:Personality Inventory; D012307:Risk Factors; D014434:Type A Personality