Phaeochromocytoma
A catecholamine-secreting tumour of the adrenal medulla that releases adrenaline and noradrenaline in unpredictable surges, producing the classic paroxysmal triad of headache, palpitations and sweating alongside episodic, sometimes crisis-level, hypertension.
First principles
Phaeochromocytoma is a tumour of catecholamine-producing chromaffin cells
Chromaffin cells of the adrenal medulla normally release adrenaline and noradrenaline in response to sympathetic stimulation. A phaeochromocytoma is a tumour of these cells that secretes catecholamines autonomously and often episodically rather than continuously, which is why symptoms classically come in discrete paroxysms rather than a constant baseline disturbance, a pattern that immediately distinguishes it from most other causes of hypertension.
Educational content pending clinical review. Not medical advice.