Type A (coronary-prone) behavior and transient blood pressure change

A study was conducted to delineate further the physiological mechanisms underlying the type A behavior pattern's influence on coronary heart disease. It was suggested that while chronically elevated blood pressure is apparently not associated with overall A--B distinctions (at least not for males), acting in a type A fashion may be accompanied by temporary increases in blood pressure. Changes in the speech characteristics of 33 black inner-city women during the A--B interview and subsequent unstructured dialogue were analyzed at one-minute intervals and correlated with concomitant blood pressure measurements. Differences in the speech characteristics of women classified type A as opposed to B were consistent with recent studies of white males (e.g., type As spoke significantly faster than type Bs). Further, within-subject blood pressure elevations were significantly associated with louder/more explosive, longer speech episodes. Additional research is urged which examines biochemical and physiological changes as a function of type A behavior considered as a transient state as well as a relatively enduring trait.