Adenosine injection into the brachial artery produces ischaemia like pain or discomfort in the forearm

Abstract

To determine whether pain or discomfort could be provoked by adenosine in skeletal muscle and, if so, whether it was dependent on the vasodilatation produced by adenosine, eight male volunteeers were given intra-arterial bolus injections of adenosine and glyceryl trinitrate into the forearm. Local pain was assessed on a scale rate, forearm blood flow was measured by venous occlusion plethysmography, and blood was sampled simultaneously from the deep vein of the same arm. Five different doses of adenosine, ranging between the maximum tolerable and the lowest producing pain or discomfort, were given intra-arterially in random order and repeated in reverse order. Glyceryl trinitrate was given intra-arterially in increasing doses from 1 to 20 μg.