Consult your health care provider regarding the need to discontinue drugs that can affect the test. Drugs that can decrease catecholamine measurements include clonidine, disulfiram, guanethidine, imipramine, MAO inhibitors, phenothiazines, salicylates, and reserpine. If the collection is being taken from an infant, a couple of extra collection bags may be necessary. The test involves only normal urination, and there is no discomfort. There are no risks.
Catecholamines are chemically-similar small molecules that are derived from the amino acid tyrosine.
Norepinephrine is the primary neurotransmitter in the sympathetic nervous system and is also in the brain. Epinephrine is a neurotransmitter in the brain but is also a major hormone in the body. Epinephrine causes a breakdown of glycogen to glucose in liver and muscle , causes the release of fatty acids from the adiposes, causes the vasodilation of small arteries within muscle tissue, and increases the rate and strength of the heartbeat. This is an illustration of the female urinary tract. The female and male urinary tracts are relatively the same except for the length of the urethra.