Pheochromocytoma differential diagnosis
|
Pheochromocytoma Microchapters |
|
Diagnosis |
|---|
|
Treatment |
|
Case Studies |
|
Pheochromocytoma differential diagnosis On the Web |
|
American Roentgen Ray Society Images of Pheochromocytoma differential diagnosis |
|
Risk calculators and risk factors for Pheochromocytoma differential diagnosis |
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Ahmad Al Maradni, M.D. [2]
Please help WikiDoc by adding content here. It's easy! Click here to learn about editing.
Overview
Pheochromocytoma must be differentiated from anxiety, carcinoid, and hypoglycemia.
Differentiating Pheochromocytoma from other Diseases
The differential diagnosis of pheochromocytoma includes:
- Anxiety disorders
- Carcinoid tumor
- Paragangliomas
- Essential hypertension
- Hyperthyroidism
- Insulinoma
- Paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia
- Renovascular hypertension
- Hypoglycemia
- Stress
- Exercise
- Medications such as stimulants, methyldopa, and dopamine agonists
Sympathomimetic drugs that can induce symptoms simulating pheochromocytoma include high-dose phenylpropanolamine (a popular over-the-counter decongestant and appetite suppressant), cocaine, amphetamines, phencyclidine, epinephrine, phenylephrine, and terbutaline, and the combination of a monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitor and ingestion of tyramine-containing foods [7,26-29]. Mercury intoxication also can mimic pheochromocytoma, producing both hypertension and elevated urine and plasma catecholamines [30].
Panic disorder can replicate many of the symptoms of pheochromocytoma because it is associated with increased sympathetic activity. Hypertension in these patients occurs primarily during treatment with a tricyclic antidepressant drug, which may increase the degree of sympathetic arousal.
The potential importance of this disorder in the differential diagnosis of pheochromocytoma was illustrated in a study in which 300 adults were referred for possible pheochromocytoma .