Five patients affected by angina pectoris showed a spontaneous attack of myocardial ischemia in the course of coronary arteriography examination. During the ischemic episode it was shown a severe coronary arterial spasm promptly relieved by nitroglycerin. In these patients the administration of ergonovine maleate induced the same clinical, electrocardiographic and coronariographic patterns of spontaneous ischemic episodes. These data support the hypotesis that the ergonovine maleate administration is a suitable test for detection of the vasospastic pathogenesis in acute myocardial ischemia.