Private MD News

Negative individuals have higher risk of heart disease

Category: Heart Health and Cholesterol

Individuals who regularly experience negative thoughts and feelings - a personality type which has come to be known as Type D - may want to have their cholesterol tested to determine their risk of heart disease. A new study from European researchers found that this personality type greatly increases the risk of cardiovascular disease.

The Type D personality has only recently gained recognition among mental health professionals. It is marked by persistent negative emotions, pessimism and social inhibition.

Researchers from Tiburg University in the Netherlands used this classification to look for a correlation to future heart risk. They found that individuals who could be categorized with this personality had a threefold increased risk of heart disease later in life.

"Type D patients tend to experience increased levels of anxiety, irritation and depressed mood across situations and time, while not sharing these emotions with others because of fear of disapproval," said Viola Spek, who led the study. "We found that Type D personality predicts mortality and morbidity in these patients, independent of traditional medical risk factors."