THE ROLE OF BEHAVIOR PATTERN AND EMOTIONAL RISK FACTORS IN CORONARY HEART DISEASE

For evaluating the role of behavior pattern and emotional factors in coronary heart disease (CHD), 86 patients were followed for one to three years (average 20 months). The behavior pattern itself was not considered as a main risk factor, rather it was found to be an aggravating and predisposing factor, especially in morbidity rate. Both behavior patterns were more common in males than in females. 73% of male type A patients and 60% of male type B patients smoked, whereas smoking rate was equal among the female patients, amounting to 20% for both types. Thus smoking was considered as a major and prevalent risk factor in males especially those with type A behavior. 62% of patients included in the type A group had acute MI, while 56% of type B patients had the same condition. Thus, MI and its complications occured more commonly in type A than type B patients. However, the mortality rate, which was mainly clue to anterior MI (90%), was the same in both groups.