This study evaluated the effects of transient coronary occlusion on the diameter of a nonischemic vessel or a nonischemic coronary segment proximal to the site of occlusion. Awake mongrel dogs chronically instrumented with dimension crystals, Doppler flow probes, and distal pneumatic occluders on the circumflex coronary arteries were subjected to transient 2-minute circumflex occlusions (n = 9) under constant heart rate (120 beats/min). Left ventricular end-diastolic pressure increased by 60% (from 10 +/- 1 to 16 +/- 2 mm Hg), and dP/dt decreased by 8% (from 2,048 +/- 130 to 1,885 +/- 110 mm Hg/sec); systemic hemodynamics were unaltered. Epicardial coronary diameter proximal to the site of occlusion decreased by 4.37% (from 3.62 +/- 0.25 to 3.46 +/- 0.29 mm, p less than 0.05). Constriction began 15-20 seconds after the onset of ischemia and progressed to maximum in 1-2 minutes. Combined alpha- and beta-receptor blockade (n = 8) with phentolamine (2 mg/kg) and propranolol (1 mg/kg) or cyclooxygenase inhibition (n = 5) with indomethacin (7.5 mg/kg) did not attenuate the ischemia-induced vasoconstriction response. Transient 2-minute occlusion of the left anterior descending coronary artery (n = 6) also elicited significant epicardial vasoconstriction in the circumflex coronary artery in the first minute (from 3.88 +/- 0.31 to 3.81 +/- 0.31 mm, p less than 0.05); the constriction was attenuated subsequently by an increase (25.5%) in circumflex flow. When left anterior descending occlusion was repeated (n = 6) with circumflex flow held constant, the ischemia-induced circumflex constriction was augmented; diameter decreased 3.7% (from 3.83 +/- 0.29 to 3.69 +/- 0.29 mm, p less than 0.05).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)