Emotional susceptibility, irritability and hostile rumination as correlates of Coronary Heart Disease

Many studies (see Booth-Kewley & Friedman, Psychological Bulletin, 101, 343-362, 1987) show hostility and negative affect as important personality correlates of Coronary Artery and Heart Disease (CAD and CHD). In the present study a set of questionnaires related to various aspects of aggressive inclination (Hostile Rumination, Irritability, Emotional Susceptibility) were given to about 300 patients who recently suffered Myocardial Infarction, and to a control group. Differences between the two groups, as well as temporal stability of the infarcted patients' self evaluations were examined. Infarcted subjects reported to be more emotionally susceptible than non-infarcted subjects. Moreover, they evaluated themselves as even more susceptible one year after the infarction. No other differences emerged among infarcted and non-infarcted subjects.