Study: Insecure people more likely to suffer 2nd heart attack

A distressed personality can lead to additional heart attacks

January 19, 1998
Web posted at: 9:30 p.m. EST (0230 GMT)

From Medical Correspondent Dr. Steve Salvatore

(CNN) -- You've likely heard of the "Type A" personality -- the phone, the beeper, the job, the kids, the dog, and the constant running all day long. Studies show that such a routine can be bad for your health.

Now scientists have come up with a new personality type that may be even more dangerous. It's called "Type D," for distressed.

Patients who are "Type D" personalities tend to be insecure and socially inhibited and have a negative outlook. They're also three times more likely to suffer a second heart attack than non-"D" types, according to a recent study.

"Patients who suffer a heart attack are likely to do worse if they have a negative personality outlook, if they're depressed, anxious or unable to take part in their health care," said Dr. Victor Corrigan, a cardiologist.

For many people, low stress and a positive outlook are key to a healthy life

While this study may be the first to suggest that a personality trait may influence the risk of a repeat heart attack, many cardiologists have long known mood can affect health.

"Occasionally a patient will say, 'I'm not gonna make it, I'm not gonna do well' and we've said, 'There's no reason why you should think that.' And (then) we do surgery and some of those patients did not do well," Corrigan said.

Critics point out the study has some limitations, including its size. In addition, they say more information is needed to define exactly what a "Type D" personality is.

"If you decide that someone has a distressed personality, that doesn't tell me enough as a clinician to know how I'm going to treat that patient," said Robert Carney of the Washington University School of Medicine.

"While it was a very convincing study from the point of view of these statistical effects, under 100 patients is not a very large study."

Still, researchers believe this area of medicine deserves exploration because treatment of distressed moods can make a difference.

"Anxiety, depression, hostility and social inhibition are all ... psychologically treatable conditions, and there's every reason to be optimistic as long as the individual identifies the problem and is getting treatment," Carney said.

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