The coronary risk personality: psychological and psychophysiological aspects.

The hypothesis was tested that psychophysiological features of the Coronary Risk Personality (CRP) already are clearly discernable before myocardial infarction (MI). Psychological test assessments were obtained from a group of 46 males MI patients, and a group of 78 "Healthy' controls, which were classified as either "High risk' or "Low risk' on blood pressure, serum cholesterol, and/or smoking. Psychophysiological measurements were also taken. The crucial features of the CRP appear to be: the impatience and activity dimensions of type A behavior, and depression; the mediating physiological mechanism with regard to infarction risk possibly is sympathetic reactivity.