Type A behavior and coronary heart disease: an update.

In the 1970s, Type A behavior became a popular topic of discussion after it was identified as a risk factor for coronary heart disease. Although recent articles have left many physicians wondering whether Type A behavior is truly unhealthy, much evidence still supports this association. Recognition of overt Type A behavior in clinical practice is usually possible without formal testing if the physician is alert to the motor behavior, speech behavior, hostile attitude and physiologic markers that characterize Type A individuals.