BUSPIRONE THERAPY FOR TYPE-A BEHAVIOR, HOSTILITY, AND PERCEIVED STRESS IN CARDIAC PATIENTS

Hostility is considered to be a risk factor for coronary artery diseas e. Despite the findings of reduced serotonergic function and effective ness of treatment with serotonergic agents in similar symptom complexe s, there have been no attempts at using serotonergic psychopharmacolog ic agents to treat this population. We conducted an 8-week open trial of 10 type A, irritable men with coronary artery disease and no diagno sable psychiatric (axis I) condition to examine the effects of buspiro ne on these subjects. Buspirone appears to significantly reduce type A behavior, hostility, anxiety, impatience, and perceived stress.