A brief type-A scale and the occurrence of cardiovascular symptoms.

A short Type-A behaviour pattern scale was tested on 3,221 Finnish state employees (65% men, mean age 38.7 years, and 22% with at least college-level vocational education). The Type-A sum score varied with age, sex and work status, but not with basic education. Respondents were further assigned to two extreme groups according to the Type-A sum score: the Type A's in the highest and -B's in the lowest quartile. Of those aged 40 years or more (n = 1,460), the persons with the Type-A behaviour pattern reported typical severe angina pectoris symptoms more frequently than the Type B's. There were no differences, however, in the frequency of typical mild angina pectoris symptoms between the Type A's and B's. The Type-A and -B men differed significantly in the frequency of a previous severe chest pain attack suggesting a possible myocardial infarction.