Ischemia-reperfusion injury results in conduit vessel endothelial dysfunction as assessed by flow-mediated dilatation (FMD). The effect on the potentially more important microvascular circulation has not been well studied. The objective of our study was to assess the effect of ischemia-reperfusion injury on microvascular function including peripheral arterial tonometry (PAT) hyperemic index. 45 healthy volunteers free of cardiovascular disease were recruited (mean age 35±14 yrs, 29 men). Using ultrasound, the flow-mediated dilation (FMD) and hyperemic velocity (VTI) of the brachial artery were measured following a 5-minute forearm cuff occlusion. Simultaneously, the PAT hyperemic index was measured. Ischemia was then induced by a 15-minute upper arm occlusion and within 15 minutes of recovery the vascular measures were repeated. Ischemia caused a significant reduction in FMD (7.9±4.0 to 4.7±3.5, p= 0.0001). The hyperemic VTI, a measure of microvascular function, was unaffected following ischemia-reperfusion (92±30 vs. 97±37 cm, p= 0.236). Finally, PAT index was also unchanged by the intervention (2.07±0.8 vs. 2.04±0.7, p= 0.742). Ischemia-reperfusion caused conduit and not resistance vessel endothelial dysfunction. The PAT-index was unchanged suggesting that this measure is more closely aligned with resistance than conduit vessel function. This has implications for its use as a measure of vascular function in clinical research.