Effects of beta-blockers on type-A coronary-prone behaviour.

The influence of coronary-prone behaviour on coronary heart disease is well established, but the link between behavioural and pathophysiological processes is still unknown. A beta-adrenergic hyper-reactivity of type-A subjects is assumed. In this investigation the influence of beta-blockers on the type-A behavior pattern was tested in an inter-individual comparison. Sixteen male hypertensive subjects (stage I or II) were divided at random into two therapeutic groups (beta-blockers vs diuretics). Each patient was given a type-A interview before therapy and at a minimum of 4 weeks after the onset of therapy. Subjects in both groups were similar in age and before therapy they had similar blood pressure at rest as well as similar cardiovascular reactivity and type-A behaviour pattern. After therapy, subjects in the group treated with beta-blockers exhibited less type-A behaviour than those in the group treated with diuretics. The possible influence of the attenuation of the type-A behaviour on the risk of coronary heart disease should be investigated in a prospective study.