Arterial blood pressure and the flow in the calf at rest and during reactive hyperemia.

The influence of a handgrip-induced rise in arterial blood pressure on the blood flow in the calf at rest and on the maximal flow during reactive hyperemia after 5-minute arterial occlusion was studied in 7 healthy subjects. Isometric contractions of the forearm muscles (handgrip) with 20% of the maximal voluntary contraction during 3 minutes caused a significant increase in mean blood pressure of 19% (SEM 3%; p less than 0.05). No significant increase in the mean blood flow at rest was found. The maximal blood flow during reactive hyperemia was increased by 42% (SEM, 5%; p less than 0.05). The lowest peripheral resistance during reactive hyperemia was decreased by 15% (SEM 6%; p less than 0.05).