Subclinical ergotism

The systolic blood-pressure at the ankle and the first toe was measured in 30 patients, mean age 42, who had taken ergotamine regularly for more than a year. With one exception, the patients had no symptoms or signs of arterial insufficiency in the limbs, but all had low-normal or abnormal foot systolic blood-pressures. In a group of 13 patients who stopped taking ergotamine the distal pressures rose significantly and from the ninth day were normal.