Untoward Reactions to Tests for Epinephrine-Secreting Tumors (Pheochromocytoma)

Abstract

THE recent development of pharmacologic tests for epinephrine-secreting tumors^{1 2 3 4} has increased the interest in this field so that in many institutions such procedures are done almost routinely on nearly all patients with hypertension.The severe and uncontrollable, but transient, hypertension that may occur after the intravenous administration of histamine in patients with pheochromocytoma has been well described.⁵ Tetraethylammonium bromide has been proposed as a substitute test substance, primarily because the hypertension following its administration in patients with pheochromocytoma may be effectively countered by placing the patient in a sitting position.² At least one death due to tetraethylammonium-chloride sensitivity has been . . .