Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, is a U.S. board-certified Anatomic Pathologist with subspecialty training in the fields of Experimental and Molecular Pathology. Dr. Stöppler's educational background includes a BA with Highest Distinction from the University of Virginia and an MD from the University of North Carolina. She completed residency training in Anatomic Pathology at Georgetown University followed by subspecialty fellowship training in molecular diagnostics and experimental pathology.
Dr. Charles "Pat" Davis, MD, PhD, is a board certified Emergency Medicine doctor who currently practices as a consultant and staff member for hospitals. He has a PhD in Microbiology (UT at Austin), and the MD (Univ. Texas Medical Branch, Galveston). He is a Clinical Professor (retired) in the Division of Emergency Medicine, UT Health Science Center at San Antonio, and has been the Chief of Emergency Medicine at UT Medical Branch and at UTHSCSA with over 250 publications.
Someone with a pheochromocytoma usually has three classic symptoms, headache,
sweating, and heart palpitations (a fast heart beat) in association with
markedly elevated blood pressure (hypertension). Other conditions that may
accompany these classic symptoms are as follows:
anxiety,
nausea,
tremors,
weakness,
abdominal pain, and
weight loss.
Some people, however, never develop symptoms of a pheochromocytoma. Up to 10%
of cases are discovered incidentally, meaning that they are not suspected and
only found when the patient is undergoing diagnostic studies for other
conditions.
Pheochromocytomas are a type of tumor of the adrenal glands that can release
high levels of epinephrine
and norepinephrine. As the name implies, the “ad-renal” glands are located near
the "renal" area. In other words, the adrenal glands are small glands that are
located near the top of the kidneys. One adrenal gland sits on top of
each of the two kidneys.
Despite their small size, the adrenal glands have many functions. They are
complex endocrine (hormone secreting) glands. Cells in different regions of the
adrenal glands have different functions in the endocrine system. There is an
area (zona fasciculata) where the cells secrete cortisol, a hormone similar to
cortisone. There is another area (zona glomerulosa) where cells secrete a
hormone called aldosterone
which helps in water regulation.
There is yet another area, referred to as the adrenal medulla, where the cells
secrete substances called catecholamines -- epinephrine, norepinephrine and dopamine. These are "flight or
fight" hormones. They are responsible in part for that feeling of an
"adrenaline" rush people feel when they are afraid. It is these cells that are
involved in a pheochromocytoma. Basically, a pheochromocytoma is a tumor of
these catecholamine-secreting cells, and that causes the clinical signs and
symptoms we will discuss below. The catecholamine-secreting cells are sometimes
referred to as chromaffin cells, and they are found in other areas of the body
as well as in the adrenal medulla.
Sometimes, pheochromocytomas arise from chromaffin cells that are located
outside of the adrenal gland. In this case, they are termed extra-adrenal
pheochromocytomas or paragangliomas and are usually located in the abdomen.
Pheochromocytomas may occur in persons of any age. The peak incidence is
between the third and the fifth decades of life, but approximately 10% occur in
children. Pheochromocytomas are, fortunately, quite rare (only about 800 new
cases are diagnosed per year in the US) and the majority of them are entirely
benign. Only about 10% of pheochromocytomas are malignant.
Abdominal pain is pain in the belly and can be acute or chronic. Causes include inflammation, distention of an organ, and loss of the blood supply to an organ. Abdominal pain can reflect a major problem with one of the organs in the abdomen such as the appendix, gallbladder, large and small intestine, pancreas, liver, colon, duodenum, and spleen.
Night sweats are severe hot flashes that occur at night and result in a drenching sweat. In order to distinguish night sweats that arise from medical causes from those that occur because one's surroundings are too warm, doctors generally refer to true night sweats as severe hot flashes occurring at night that can drench sleepwear and sheets, which are not related to an overheated environment.
High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, is a repeatedly
elevated blood pressure exceeding 140 over 90 mmHg -- a systolic pressure above
140 with a diastolic pressure above 90. There are two causes of high blood pressure, primary and secondary. Primary high blood pressure is much more common that secondary and its basic causes or underlying defects are not always known. It is known that a diet high in salt increases the risk for high blood pressure, as well as high cholesterol. Genetic factors are also a primary cause. Secondary high blood pressure is generally caused by another condition such as renal hypertension, tumors, and other conditions. Treatment for high blood pressure is generally lifestyle changes and if necessary, diet.
Anxiety is a feeling of apprehension and fear characterized by physical symptoms. Anxiety disorders are serious medical illnesses that affect approximately 19 million American adults.
Headaches can be divided into two categories: primary headaches and secondary headaches. Migraine headaches, tension headaches, and cluster headaches are considered primary headaches. Secondary headaches are caused by disease. Headache symptoms vary with the headache type. Over-the-counter pain relievers provide short-term relief for most headaches.
There are four major types of thyroid cancer: papillary, follicular, medullary, and anaplastic thyroid cancer. Tumors on the thyroid are referred to as thyroid nodules. Symptoms of thyroid cancer include swollen lymph nodes, pain in the throat, difficulty swallowing, hoarseness, and a lump near the Adam's apple. Treatment usually involves chemotherapy, surgery, radioactive iodine, hormone treatment or external radiation and depends upon the type of thyroid cancer, the patient's age, the tumor size, and whether the cancer has metastasized.
Nausea is an uneasiness of the stomach that often precedes vomiting. Nausea and vomiting are not diseases, but they are symptoms of many conditions. The causes of vomiting differ according to age, and treatment depends upon the cause of nausea and vomiting.
Palpitations are unpleasant sensations of irregular and/or forceful beating of the heart. Palpitations can be relieved in many patients by stress reduction, stopping cigarettes, and reduction of caffeine and alcohol.
Tremor is the involuntary movements of one or more parts of the body. Causes of tremor include neurological disorders, neurodegenerative diseases, drugs, mercury poisoning, overactive thyroid and liver failure. There are several types of tremor. Treatment depends upon the type of tremor and availability of medications for the condition.
Genetic disease is a disorder or condition caused by abnormalities in a person's genome. Types of genetic inheritance include single inheritance (for example, cystic fibrosis, sickle cell anemia, Marfan syndrome, and hemochromatosis), multifactoral inheritance, chromosome abnormalities (for example, Turner syndrome, and Klinefelter syndrome), and mitochondrial inheritance (for example, epilepsy and dementia).
Your health care provider may refer you to a genetic professional. Universities and medical centers also often have affiliated genetic professionals, or can provide referrals to a genetic professional or genetics clinic. Genetic counseling provides patients and family members the tools to make the right choice in regard to test for a disease or condition.
Generalized anxiety disorder (or GAD) is characterized
by excessive, exaggerated
anxiety and worry about everyday life events with no obvious reasons for
worry. People with
symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder tend to always expect disaster and
can't stop worrying about health, money, family, work, or school. In people
with GAD, the worry often is unrealistic or out of proportion for the
situation. Daily life becomes a constant state of worry, fear, and dread.
Eventually, the anxiety so dominates the person's thinking that it interferes
with daily functioning, including work, school, social activities, and
relationships.
What Are the Symptoms of GAD?
GAD affects the way a person thinks, but the anxiety can lead to physical
symptoms, as well. Symptoms of GAD can include:
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