Pheochromocytoma: Symptoms, Complaints, Signs

The following symptoms and complaints may indicate pheochromocytoma:

Main symptoms

  • Hypertension (high blood pressure)
    • Paroxysmal hypertension (seizure-like increase in blood pressure) with hypertensive crises (high blood pressure crises) that can last from a few minutes to hours – 40-60% in adults
    • Persistent (ongoing) hypertension – 50-60% in adults, up to 90% in children!

Symptoms in the context of a hypertensive crisis:

  • Cephalgia (headache) (60-80%).
  • Palpitations (heart palpitations)/tachycardia (rapid heartbeat) (50-70%)
  • Abdominal pain (abdominal pain) or flank pain.
  • Sweating (40-60%)
  • Paleness (35-45%)
  • Inner restlessness, panic and anxiety (20-40%).
  • Tremor (shaking)
  • Angina pectoris (“chest tightness”; sudden pain in the heart area).

Other symptoms

  • Hyperglycemia (hyperglycemia) and glucosuria (excretion of glucose in the urine) – 40-50% of cases.
  • Weight loss (20-40%)
  • Nausea (nausea) (20-25%)
  • Orthostatic hypertension (10-20%)
  • Dyspnea (shortness of breath) (10-20%)
  • Vertigo (dizziness) (10-20%)
  • Visual disturbances
  • Polyuria/polydipsia (urinary flooding/increased drinking).
  • Leukocytosis (increase in the number of leukocytes (white blood cells)).

Percentages

Characteristic of a pheochromocytoma is that the elevated blood pressure does not respond to drug therapy.

Pheochromocytoma may also be asymptomatic.

Note: Weight gain and facial flushing argue against a pheochromocytoma!