title: Effect of cold pressor test on the internal diameter of the radial artery.
abstract: The aim of this study was to investigate in normal subjects the effect of a cold pressor test on the caliber of the radial artery, a muscular artery of medium size. The internal diameter of this artery was measured continuously using a recently developed ultrasonic device. Immersion of one hand in ice water for two minutes increased blood pressure from 115/75 +/- 3/2 (Mean +/- SEM) to 136/90 +/- 6/2 mm Hg (P less than .001) and decreased the internal diameter of the radial artery from 2.82 +/- 0.12 to 2.60 +/- 0.09 mm (P less than .01). These data therefore indicate that the vasoconstriction induced by the cold pressor test involves not only arterioles, but also medium-size arteries.
authors.affiliation: Division of Hypertension, University Hospital, Lausanne, Switzerland.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Perret
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Mooser
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Waeber
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yanik
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jean-Jacques
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mooser
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Nussberger
authors.forename: H R
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Brunner
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001132:Arm / Q000098:blood supply*; D001158:Arteries / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology; D001160:Arterioles / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology; D001794:Blood Pressure; D003080:Cold Temperature; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic / Q000379:methods; D012016:Reference Values; D014463:Ultrasonography / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D014661:Vasoconstriction