Peripheral vascular reactivity in patients with variant angina

Previous studies have suggested a high prevalence of migraine headache and Raynaud's phenomenon in patients with variant angina. These findings suggest increased reactivity to vasoconstrictor stimuli in the extremities in these patients. In this study we examined forearm vascular responses to a cold pressor test and intra-arterially infused norepinephrine and angiotensin II in patients with variant angina (mean age 60 +/- 4 years, n = 6) and those with other forms of ischemic heart disease or atypical chest pain (mean age 59 +/- 5 years, n = 8). Arm blood flow was measured by strain gauge plethysmography and forearm vascular resistance was calculated. There was no difference in forearm vasoconstrictive responses to a cold pressor test, norepinephrine or angiotensin II between the two groups of patients. Minimal forearm vascular resistance after 10 min of arterial occlusion was also similar between the two groups. Thus our study suggests that peripheral vasoconstrictive reactivity is not increased in patients with variant angina.