Type D Personality Destroys Heart Health

While the popular image of a person prone to heart disease often pictures somebody with a type A personality (aggressive, fiercely competitive and obsessed with success), research now shows that the biggest risk might be among those with type D characteristics: angry, frustrated, repressed and distressed.

“Type D personality and depression are distinct manifestations of psychological distress, with independent cardiovascular effects,” says Johan Denollet, Ph.D., lead author of the study that appeared in the journal Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes. “Our findings support the simultaneous use of depression and type D measures to flag high-risk patients.”

The type D personality profile is determined using a brief 14-item questionnaire that measures social inhibition and overall mood. Patients responded to phrases such as “I am a closed kind of person” and “I often feel unhappy.”

As Dr. Michael Cutler notes in his book The Man Manual (available Nov. 27), “Hostility is the ‘Achilles’ heel’ of the heart. The heart is also adversely affected by stress and frustration via the stress hormones adrenalin, cortisol and the chemicals of inflammation.” Cutler suggests using stress reduction techniques like meditation and exercise to ease the feelings of distress that lead to chronic illness.