title: Alpha blockade with doxazosin in pheochromocytoma--report of three cases.
abstract: Pheochromocytoma is a catecholamine-secreting tumor, for which the treatment of choice is complete surgical resection, when possible. Some form of preoperative pharmacological preparation is indicated. Most centers use alpha blockade, phenoxybenzamine being the preferred drug. There is little experience with the use of other alpha-blocking agents. The authors report three different cases in which doxazosin was used: as preoperative preparation of a patient with pheochromocytoma, as preparation for therapy in I-131-MIBG of a patient with a malignant pheochromocytoma, and as a pre-cesarean preparation in a pregnant woman with multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2A (MEN-2A). Doxazosin provided a safe alternative to phenoxybenzamine in the three cases described, with some advantages that the authors summarize.
authors.affiliation: Serviço de Endocrinologia, Diabetes e Metabolismo, Centro Hospitalar Lisboa Norte, E.P.E- Hospital de Santa Maria, Lisboa. mariaraquelcarvalho.hsm@gmail.com
authors.forename: Maria Raquel
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Carvalho
authors.forename: Teresa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Dias
authors.forename: Andreia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rodrigues
authors.forename: António Pedro
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Machado
authors.forename: Rui
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Esteves
authors.forename: Isabel
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: do Carmo
mesh_terms: D000310:Adrenal Gland Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000317:Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D017292:Doxazosin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010673:Pheochromocytoma / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D000317:Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists; D017292:Doxazosin