Stressful life events (SLEs) and coping behavior were compared in 25 emergency room patients with nonserious acute illness and 25 newly diagnosed hypertensive patients. Stress was evaluated with a modified Rahe's SLE questionnaire and coping with a rating scale developed by the primary investigator. Results showed that: ER patients reported significantly more (p<.05) SLEs for the one year preceding illness onset, although more hypertensives subjectively rated their stress level as high; ER patients experienced significantly more SLEs in personal and social, home and family, and financial categories; hypertensives experienced significantly more health-related SLEs; age was seen as influencing SLEs; hypertensive patients used significantly more problem-oriented coping methods than did ER patients; hypertensives relied more on religion and physical activity in coping than did the ER group; ER patients more often day-dreamed or used their past experience as a guide for coping with stress; each group rated use of drugs as least important in coping; and educational level proved to be a salient variable affecting coping.