Factitious Pheochromocytoma-Like Hypertensive Bouts Caused by the Valsalva Maneuver
Authors: Diederik Boon, Roderick A. Kraaijenhagen, Gert A. van Montfrans
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (2001)

Letters21 August 2001Factitious Pheochromocytoma-Like Hypertensive Bouts Caused by the Valsalva ManeuverDiederik Boon, MD, Roderick A. Kraaijenhagen, MD, and Gert A. van Montfrans, MD, PhDDiederik Boon, MDAcademic Medical Centre, University of Amsterdam, 1100 DE Amsterdam, the Netherlands (Boon, Kraaijenhagen, van Montfrans), Roderick A. Kraaijenhagen, MDAcademic Medical Centre, University of Amsterdam, 1100 DE Amsterdam, the Netherlands (Boon, Kraaijenhagen, van Montfrans), and Gert A. van Montfrans, MD, PhDAcademic Medical Centre, University of Amsterdam, 1100 DE Amsterdam, the Netherlands (Boon, Kraaijenhagen, van Montfrans)Author, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-135-4-200108210-00027 SectionsAboutFull TextPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail TO THE EDITOR:A 48-year-old woman was transferred to our hospital for evaluation of severe therapy-resistant hypertension. Three months before admission to our hospital, she was admitted to another hospital because of nausea, headache, palpitations, and near-syncope, with a blood pressure of 250/160 mm Hg while taking metoprolol. Her history revealed a borderline personality disorder; she had been admitted to psychiatric hospitals several times in the past 20 years because of suicide attempts and depressive episodes. She was transferred to our hospital because extensive work-up could not demonstrate hormonal or renovascular hypertension, and several antihypertensive agents did not bring about ...References1. Keiser H. Surreptitious self-administration of epinephrine resulting in ' pheochromocytoma.'. JAMA. 1991;266:1553-5. [PMID: 1880888] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar2. Spitzer D, Bongartz D, Ittel T, Sieberth H. Simulation of a pheochromocytoma—Munchausen syndrome. Eur J Med Res. 1998;3:549-53. [PMID: 9889174] MedlineGoogle Scholar3. Stern T, Cremens C. Factitious pheochromocytoma. One patient history and literature review. Psychosomatics. 1998;39:283-7. [PMID: 9664776] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar4. Kailasam M, Parmer R, Stone R, Shankel S, Kennedy B, Ziegler M, et al . Factitious pheochromocytoma: novel mimickry by Valsalva maneuver and clues to diagnosis. Am J Hypertens. 1995;8:651-5. [PMID: 7662252] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAuthors: Diederik Boon, MD; Roderick A. Kraaijenhagen, MD; Gert A. van Montfrans, MD, PhDAffiliations: Academic Medical Centre, University of Amsterdam, 1100 DE Amsterdam, the Netherlands (Boon, Kraaijenhagen, van Montfrans) PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Metrics Cited byFactitious hypertensive crises unraveled by Doppler ultrasoundPhysiology Unmasks HypertensionPheochromocytoma or Münchausen syndrome: the masquerade is upRecognizing malingering hypertension in young adultsCardiopathia Fantastica: The Cardiac Variant of Munchausen Syndrome 21 August 2001Volume 135, Issue 4Page: 304-305KeywordsAnxietyBlood pressureCatecholaminesHeadachesHypertensionNauseaPatient advocacyPersonality disordersPheochromocytomaSuicide ePublished: 21 August 2001 Issue Published: 21 August 2001 Copyright & PermissionsCopyright © 2001 by American College of Physicians. All Rights Reserved.PDF downloadLoading ...