Tumors of the chromaffin cells of the adrenal medulla, called pheochromocytomas, cause hypersecretion of the medullary hormones.
Such tumors are usually benign. The excess catecholamines cause rapid heart rate, headache, high blood pressure, high levels of sugar in the blood and urine, an elevated basal metabolic rate (BMR), flushing of the face, nervousness, swearing, and decreased gastrointestinal motility.
Since the medullary hormones create the same effects as sympathetic nervous stimulation, hypersecretion puts the individual into a prolonged version of the fight-or-flight response. Treatment of pheochromocytomas is surgical removal of the tumor(s).
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