Hostility may lead to heart disease.

People who show a high level of a particular kind of hostility -- aggressive responding -- may be at higher risk than others for developing heart disease, an Ohio State University study suggests. Researchers found that those who scored high on this hostility measure were more likely to suffer from exercise-induced ischemia, a possible precursor to heart disease. "Aggressive responding may be a behavioral marker that could provide early identification of people who are at risk of heart disease, but who don't yet have damage to the heart," points out Tilmer Engebretson, co-author of the study and an assistant professor of psychiatry.

People who are aggressive responders tend to have a tough, somewhat cold-hearted view of the world and people around them. They agree with statements like "I don't blame anyone for grabbing everything he can in this world" and "I don't try to cover up my poor opinion or pity of another person."

The study involved 39 middle-aged men and women with no history of heart disease who were undergoing an initial evaluation for coronary problems. The subjects were given a thallium exercise stress test in which they ran on a treadmill...