For this reason, a person with a diagnosis of pheochromocytoma should consider undergoing genetic testing to assess for a risk of other complications. Possible triggers include :. A compound called tyramine may also trigger symptoms. Tyramine is present in fermented or aged foods, such as red wine, chocolate, and some cheeses.
In some people, certain drugs may also trigger symptoms. For example, monoamine oxidase inhibitors — a treatment option for depression and other mental health conditions — have been known to trigger symptoms. Diagnosing pheochromocytoma can be difficult, as it is rare and affects different people in different ways. A person with any of the following should undergo testing to rule out or confirm pheochromocytoma:. A number of tests can help check for key markers of the condition.
For example:. Blood or urine tests : These can show if a person has unsually high levels of adrenaline or noradrenaline in their body. Pheochromocytomas often have a characteristic appearance on imaging tests.
Genetic testing : If investigations confirm a tumor, a doctor may recommend genetic testing. This can show if the person has a gene mutation that increases the risk of this and other tumors. If a gene mutation is present, they may also recommend screening for family members. A doctor will usually recommend removing the tumor surgically.
Surgeons often opt for laparoscopic surgery, which involves only small incisions. Pheochromocytoma usually affects only one adrenal gland. A surgeon may therefore remove the entire gland, as the remaining gland can produce enough hormones for the body to survive. If tumors occur in both glands, the surgeon will try to remove the tumor tissue only, leaving a part of the glands intact. If this is not possible, they may have to remove both adrenal glands.
If the surgeon removes both adrenal glands, the body will no longer be able to produce adrenal hormones. Each adrenal gland has two parts. Medulla: The inner Most pheochromocytomas grow within the cortex of adrenal glands. Pheochromocytomas may occur in men or women at any age, but they are most common in people between the ages of 20 and Some people who develop pheochromocytomas have a rare inherited condition called multiple endocrine neoplasia Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia Syndromes MEN Multiple endocrine neoplasia syndromes are rare, inherited disorders in which several endocrine glands develop noncancerous benign or cancerous malignant tumors or grow excessively without Von Hippel-Lindau disease is caused by mutations in a gene Pheochromocytomas may be quite small.
However, even a small pheochromocytoma can produce large amounts of potent catecholamines. Catecholamines are hormones such as adrenaline epinephrine , norepinephrine , and dopamine , which tend to greatly increase blood pressure and heart rate and cause other symptoms usually associated with life-threatening situations. The most prominent sign of a pheochromocytoma is high blood pressure High Blood Pressure High blood pressure hypertension is persistently high pressure in the arteries.
Often no cause for high blood pressure can be identified, but sometimes it occurs as a result of an underlying However, only about 1 in 1, people with high blood pressure has a pheochromocytoma. Symptoms include. The lower points represent the bottom number of the reading diastolic pressure. The higher points show the top number of the reading systolic pressure. A pheochromocytoma fee-o-kroe-moe-sy-TOE-muh is a rare, usually noncancerous benign tumor that develops in an adrenal gland.
You have two adrenal glands —one located at the top of each kidney. Usually, a pheochromocytoma develops in only one adrenal gland. But tumors can develop in both. If you have a pheochromocytoma, the tumor releases hormones that may cause high blood pressure, headache, sweating and symptoms of a panic attack.
If a pheochromocytoma isn't treated, severe or life-threatening damage to other body systems can result. Most pheochromocytomas are discovered in people between the ages of 20 and But the tumor can develop at any age. Surgery to remove a pheochromocytoma usually returns blood pressure to normal.
The symptoms listed above may be constant, or they may occur, or get stronger, occasionally. Certain activities or conditions can make symptoms worse, such as:. Foods high in tyramine, a substance that affects blood pressure, also can make symptoms worse. Tyramine is common in foods that are fermented, aged, pickled, cured, overripe or spoiled.
These foods include:. Although high blood pressure is a primary sign of a pheochromocytoma, most people who have high blood pressure don't have an adrenal tumor. Talk to your doctor if any of the following factors are applicable to you:. The endocrine system includes the pituitary gland, thyroid gland, parathyroid glands, adrenal glands, pancreas, ovaries in females and testicles in males.
Researchers don't know exactly what causes a pheochromocytoma. A pheochromocytoma causes the adrenal glands to make too much of these hormones. But if someone in your family has this type of tumor, you are more likely to have it. Pheochromocytomas happen equally in men and women. They often show up when you are in your 30s, 40s, or 50s. If someone in your family has this type of tumor, you are more likely to have it. This tumor does not seem to be affected by environment, diet, or lifestyle.
If you have this tumor, you should consider genetic testing. The most common sign of a pheochromocytoma is high blood pressure. It can be always high or sometimes high. Sometimes the tumor can cause high blood pressure that can be life threatening. It is a very rare cause of high blood pressure. But it must be considered when medicine is not enough to control high blood pressure.
Other symptoms are less common. They can be brought on when you are under stress or when you change positions. Symptoms may include:. The symptoms of a pheochromocytoma may seem like other health problems. Always see your healthcare provider for a diagnosis.
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