Emotional correlates of angina pectoris.

An analysis of the personality traits of 13 patients with proven angina pectoris and 7 patients with authentic rheumatic heart disease but no angina showed that, psychodynamically, there were significant differences between the two groups. The features which characterized the anginal patients included compulsiveness, repressed hostility, unfulfilled oral needs and a strong superego. In contrast, the non-anginal patients with rheumatic heart disease were passive, non-hostile persons whose oral needs seem to have been adequately fulfilled. Such factors should be carefully considered in designing a therapeutic program for the rehabilitation of patients with angina pectoris.