Therapeutic targets
- Therapy and prevention of hypertensive crises (hypertension crises).
- Prevention of complications
Therapy recommendations
- For acute hypertensive crises: Nitroprusside sodium (“nitro spray”).
- Preoperative blockade of alpha receptors using phenoxybenzamine (10 days before surgery).
- If the patient cannot undergo surgery:
- Therapy with alpha blockers (to prevent hypertensive crises): phenoxybenzamine, prazosin (via inhibition of tyrosine hydroxylase, the synthesis of catecholamines is blocked) or alpha-methyl-p-tyrosine (MPT; not approved in Germany).
Further notes
- Results of a phase 2 study suggest that treatment with the radiopharmaceutical iobenguan (coupled with the isotope iodine 131) destroys the cells of a pheochromocytoma or paraganglion to the extent that a significant dose reduction of antihypertensive drugs can occur. Iobenguan is a variant of the neurotransmitter norepinephrine, which binds to receptors on the cancer cells .Therapy of malignant pheochromocytoma with iobenguan can not cure the disease but alleviate symptoms.
