In general, men had more thickening of the artery walls. But if women were antagonistic, their risk quickly caught up with the men, Sutin said. "Women who scored high on antagonism-related traits tended to close the gap, developing arterial thickness similar to antagonistic men. Whereas women with agreeable traits had much thinner arterial walls than men with agreeable traits, antagonism had a much stronger association with arterial thickness in women."

Though thickening of the artery walls is a sign of age, young people with antagonistic traits already had thickening of the artery wall, she said. Lifestyle factors may contribute, but the association persisted after controlling for risk factors such as smoking.

Physicians may want to examine antagonism and other facets of personality traits when considering risk factors such as smoking, weight, cholesterol levels and diabetes, Sutin said. The results of this study could also help determine who might benefit from targeted interventions such as providing coping mechanisms and anger management.

"People may learn to control their anger and learn ways to express anger in more socially acceptable ways," Sutin said.

The findings may apply to others in the world, whether they live in smaller towns or cosmopolitan areas, she said. "This may not be unique to Italians."

SOURCE American Heart Association