Previous research has demonstrated an increased rate of clinical coronary heart disease (CHD) events among people who exhibit a "coronary prone" (Type A) behavior pattern. This study was undertaken to determine whether the association between behavior pattern Type A and CHD might be extended beyond clinical CHD events to include also the coronary atherosclerotic process. In addition to usual clinical evaluation, 156 consecutive patients referred for diagnostic coronary angiography were independently assessed on the basis of a structured interview and assigned a rating of Type A, Type B, or Type X (indeterminate). Traditional physiologic factors--age, sex, cholesterol and cigarette smoking--were found to correlate with atherosclerotic disease. Type A patients were found in increasing proportions among groups of patients with coronary occlusions of moderate to severe degree compared with patients with only mild occlusions. This increasing proportion of Type A patients with increasing disease severity remained significant, even when age, sex, blood pressure, serum cholesterol level and cigarette smoking history were all simultaneously covaried. These findings suggest that, independently of traditional risk factors, behavior pattern Type A may contribute to the risk of clinical CHD events via effects on the atherosclerotic process.