title: Pheochromocytoma crisis: the use of magnesium sulfate.
abstract: Pheochromocytoma crisis is a rare life-threatening event that may appear with a variety of clinical symptoms. We present three cases of life-threatening crisis in which magnesium sulfate was particularly beneficial in controlling symptoms and signs when more conventional forms of therapy had failed. Two patients presented with hypertensive encephalopathy, and the third presented with catecholamine-induced cardiomyopathy. All three patients successfully underwent tumor excision with magnesium sulfate used as the sole drug for control of hemodynamic disturbances during surgery. The problems of pheochromocytoma crisis and the potential benefits of magnesium sulfate in this condition are reviewed.
authors.affiliation: *Department of Anaesthesia, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa; and †Department of Anaesthesia, The University of KwaZulu-Natal, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
authors.forename: Michael F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: James
authors.forename: Larissa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cronjé
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000310:Adrenal Gland Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008278:Magnesium Sulfate / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D009599:Nitroprusside / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010646:Phentolamine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010673:Pheochromocytoma / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists; D009599:Nitroprusside; D008278:Magnesium Sulfate; D010646:Phentolamine