The cardinal indication of a pheochromocytoma is:

• A. Edema in the Legs
• B. Extreme Nausea
• C. Significant Hypertension
• D. Abdominal Pain

Answer: (C)

Pheochromocytoma causes overproduction of catecholamines from the adrenal medulla, leading to increased vasoconstriction and heart rate. This drives significantly elevated blood pressure, which is the most recognizable and defining feature of the condition. Patients often experience episodic spikes in pressure, along with headaches, sweating, and palpitations, but the key sign that points strongly toward pheochromocytoma is hypertension that can be dramatic and paroxysmal.

Other options like edema, severe nausea, or abdominal pain aren’t specific to pheochromocytoma and don’t define the disorder, whereas sustained or episodic hypertension directly reflects the excess catecholamines driving the clinical picture. If pheochromocytoma is suspected, the next steps involve biochemical testing for catecholamine metabolites and then imaging to localize the tumor.