Coronary artery infusion of neuropeptide Y in patients with angina pectoris

Neuropeptide Y was infused into a coronary artery of 6 patients with typical angina but no significant coronary stenosis. 3 patients had transient myocardial ischaemia, shown by typical pain and electrocardiographic change, at doses of 0.2 pmol/kg per min in 2 patients and 1.0 pmol/kg per min in 1 patient. The arteriographic appearances suggested constriction of small vessels rather than constriction of epicardial coronary arteries. The ischaemia was completely reversed by intracoronary administration of isosorbide dinitrate with no adverse sequelae. This is the first demonstration of myocardial ischaemia in man induced by a peptide neurotransmitter.