INTRODUCTION:•Who, When, Where

•What led to Study?

•What if?

•Method

•Results

•Discussion

•Q & A

Cardiologist

Researcher

Meyer Friedman,

M.D.

Cardiologist

Researcher

Ray R

osenm

an,

M.D.

1950

Friedman was having furniture reupholstered

• Upholsterer pointed to unusual wear on cushion seat

• Friedman wondered if people w/coronary heart disease (CHD) had unique characteristics

• Found a common belief that those w/high stress may lead to CHD

Traits were

Physiological Outcomes

LINKED

Type “A” Traits

• Take charge attitude

• The juggler

•Free-floating hostility

•Covert in nature

Vs.

Behaviors

Type “B”

“Watch out, take it easy, you’re a real Type A.”“Watch out, take it easy, you’re a real Type A.”

Participants:• 2 groups of 83 men

• Average Age: 44 yrs.

Interview/questionnaire

Blood Samples + EKG’s

Diaries (kept by participants)

&

Subjects (Ss): Interviewed

Ss instructed to keep ‘diet’ diary

• One (1) week

•All that they ate & drank

Blood drawn by research assistants

The

Last Procedure

EKGInterpreted:

(2) IndependentCardiologists!

EKGInterpreted:

(2) IndependentCardiologists!

Group “A” Type: Chronically harassed by: • Commitments• Ambition• Drives• Eagerness to compete in any activity

• Having a strong desire to win

Group “B” Type: Seem satisfied w/current situations

• Avoided pursuing multiple goals

• Not as eager to compete

• Were less troubled with advancement

• Spent more time with their families

Table 1 Comparison of Characteristics for Group A and Groups B (Averages)

  Weight

Work Hours

/ Week

Exercise

Hours/ week

Number of Smokers

Cigarettes/ day

Alcohol Calories/ day

Total Calorie

s

Fat calorie

s

Parents with

Children

Group A

176 51 10 67 23 194 2049 944 36

Group B

172 45 7 56 15 149 2134 978 27

 

(Hock, 2009, p. 213)

•Two groups were very similar in measured characteristics

• Difference in number of cigarettes smoked

Table 2 Comparisons of Blood and Illnesses for Group A and Group B

  Average Clotting Time

(minutes)

Average Serum

Cholesterol

Arcus Senilis (percent)

Coronary Heart Disease

(percent)

Group A 6.9 253 38 28

Group B 7.0 215 11 4

(Hock, 2009, p. 213)

• Clotting time was faster in Group A than Group B

• Percent of men with CHD higher in Group A than Group B

Reasonable & Unreasonable Findings

Hypothesis: Friedman & Rosenman’s study suggests that “Type A” behavior may be more prone to CHD, resulting from specific elevated blood levels, tests & other potential behavioral threats i.e. smoking. Additionally, being linked to the chronically stressed, free-floating hostile, anxious, multi-tasking person who usually has a sense of urgency shadowing over them. “Type B” will show the opposite of “A.”

Reasonable:• Substantiated by: blood, EKG, alcohol & fat calories + parenthood

• Worksite Stressors: competitiveness

Shared belief: X-treme stressors = CHD(Hock, 2009, ??)

Unreasonable

Substantiated by: Biased Approach

• Absence of Random Sampling

• Caucasian ‘white collar’ professionals

• Demographics, cultures not considered i.e. Mexico, Italy

• Genetically pre-disposed:

•Absence of blood pressure, triglycerides, diabetes testing

CAVEAT!

Arcus Senilis…”in old age” or unhealthy liver Remember Amt. of alcohol consumption not tested

+the older we get nothing seems to work the same…including the liver

(Mosby Medical Dictionary, 2009)

(Online Journal of Opthamology www.onjoph.com)

?Potential causal interference…

According to Kornitzer (1985), “…heavy drinkers are more Type A both amongst blue and white collar middle aged males.(Kornitzer & Dramaix, 1986, pp. 781-783)

What does this mean to you?

According to Dr. Joseph Mercola

All cholesterol is vital to regenerate cells

Dismiss the ‘myth’ that LDL & HDL existhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?=awA2fsa94MI

?

NOT Addressed in Friedman & Rosenman study

1. Strong & consistent evidence, according to Australian report relating (1.) of an:

• “…independent causal association between d patterns…epression, social isolation & lack of quality of social support and the prognosis of CHD…(2.)…no strong evidence for a causal association between chronic life events, work-related stressors…Type A behaviors…and CHD…similar order to the more conventional CHD risk factors such as smoking, dyslipidaemia and hypertension”

(The Medical Journal of Australia, 2003, pp. 272-276)

ETHICAL VIOLATIONSETHICAL VIOLATIONS

WHY AUTHOR’S CHOICE?WHY AUTHOR’S CHOICE?

OWN EXPERIENCEOWN EXPERIENCE

Behaviors OR Genetics OR Culture OR Diet

= CHD

Consider Critical Thinking #3, #7, #5

TM

The End

LynetteHelping to pollinate your thoughts and methodology

In just plain living! And the enjoyment w/stressors

©Lynette E. Mitan, 11.03.11