Environmental Stress and Myocardial Reactivity

This study tested aspects of a new theory (Kelsey, 1986) of the etiology and pathophysiology of primary Raynaud’s phenomenon. Raynaud’s phenomenon is defined as an episode of vasoconstriction, or vasospasm, of the small cutaneous arteries and arterioles in the extremities that causes a severe reduction in blood flow and a corresponding decrease in temperature in the skin of affected areas (Coffman & Davies, 1975; Gifford & Hines, 1957). These vasospastic episodes usually affect the fingers, causing them to turn cold, numb, and white; thus, Raynaud’s phenomenon is characterized as “episodic vasospastic ischemia of the digits” (Halperin & Coffman, 1979, p. 89). The phenomenon is further classified into primary and secondary forms. Primary Raynaud’s phenomenon, also known as Raynaud’s disease, refers to idiopathic manifestations of the disorder, whereas secondary Raynaud’s phenomenon refers to manifestations of the disorder that are symptomatic of an underlying primary disease, such as scleroderma.