Pheochromocytomas are rare tumors that make too much adrenaline.
Pheochromocytoma are found in 2 out of every million people each year and are the cause of high blood pressure in less than 0.2% of people with high blood pressure. However, because pheochromocytoma release adrenaline in uncontrolled bursts, they can cause serious health problems like stroke, heart attacks, and even death.
For this reason, many doctors call it the “pharmacologic time bomb.” Pheochromocytoma can occur at any age and there are no known risk factors except for certain genetic syndromes.
Phaeochromocytoma is a rare tumour that secretes catecholamines. It is derived from chromaffin cells, usually in the adrenal medulla but occasionally extra-adrenal phaeochromocytomas or paragangliomas occur.
The excessive production of catecholamines may cause life-threatening hypertension or cardiac arrhythmias. If the diagnosis is overlooked, the result can be disastrous or fatal but if this rare tumour is diagnosed it is curable.
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