[Vasospasm--a generalized vascular event?].

Many factors have been implicated in the pathophysiology of vasospastic disease. The coincidence of vasospastic syndromes suggests that a systemic factor (blood-borne or neurologic) or a generalized functional abnormality of vascular smooth muscle causes vasospasms in different vascular beds. The evidence of vasospastic disease is discussed with respect to our knowledge of general and local control mechanisms in peripheral blood flow.