The thermoregulatory control of human skin blood flow is vital to the maintenance of normal body temperatures during challenges to thermal homeostasis. Sympathetic neural control of skin blood flow includes the noradrenergic vasoconstrictor system and a sympathetic active vasodilator system, the latter of which is responsible for 80% to 90% of the substantial cutaneous vasodilation that occurs with whole body heat stress.
Raynaud phenomenon and erythromelalgia represent cutaneous microvascular disorders
whose pathophysiology appears to relate to disorders of local and/or reflex
thermoregulatory control of the skin circulation.
© 2003 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research