Coronary prone behavior and cardiovascular reactions during the German version of the type A interview and during a quiz.

Type A behavior (TABP) was assessed in 212 German policemen using the structured interview (Si), whereby 10% were classified as A1 (= extreme type A), 48% as A2 (= moderate), 13% as X (= indefinite), and 29% as B (= non type A) by two independent raters. Moreover, traditional risk factors were assessed: serum cholesterol (CHOL) including high density (HDL) and low density cholesterols (LDL), cigarette smoking habits; at rest, during the Si and during a quiz systolic (SBP), and diastolic blood pressure (DBP), as well as heart rate (HR) were measured, and pressure-rate-index (PRi) was calculated. As in this group of policemen TABP and many of the investigated parameters were dependent on age, in a preliminary data analysis 18 type A1 subjects (group A) were compared to 18 age matched type B or X subjects (group B). Between group A and B no differences were found in CHOL as well as HDL and LDL, cigarette smoking, SBP, DBP, HR, and PRi at rest. During the Si group A exhibited a higher rise in SBP, HR, and PRi as well as higher maximal reactions in SBP and PRi. No differences were found during the quiz. This investigation gives some further evidence that the TABP has to be regarded as an independent risk factor; moreover, in specific situations like the Si it is associated with higher cardiovascular reactions independent of language and culture. This cardiovascular hyperreactivity might be regarded as one of the mediators between TABP and CHD.