Try A Little Aggression

Contrary to what most doctors recommend, reducing stress and aggravation may not necessarily prolong life. The New England Journal of Medicine reported last week that Type A individuals, so classified in part because of their aggressive personalities, are nearly twice as likely to survive a heart attack as laid-back Type B's. One possible reason: Type A's may be more compulsive about taking action to curb harmful smoking, drinking and stress after an attack. Nonetheless, says Researcher David Ragland of the School of Public Health at the University of California, Berkeley, "the results were very surprising."

Scientists have hotly debated the link between Type A behavior and heart disease since it was proposed in the 1950s. San Francisco Cardiologist Meyer Friedman, who helped devise the Type A concept, thinks the finding of the Berkeley study of 257 men with heart disease is dangerous. "A cardiologist would never tell a patient to go out, get upset and raise his blood pressure," he fumes. "In effect, that's what they are saying." Still, blowing off steam may be just what the doctor ordered. But will it lower life- insurance premiums?