What is the classic triad of symptoms for pheochromocytoma?

• A. Headache, sweating, and episodic hypertension (often with tachycardia).
• B. Abdominal pain, vomiting, and constipation.
• C. Hypotension, bradycardia, and fatigue.
• D. Weight gain, edema, and moon facies.

Answer: (A)

Pheochromocytoma causes episodic surges of catecholamines (epinephrine and norepinephrine) from adrenal medullary chromaffin cells. These surges drive sympathetic activation, leading to sudden rises in blood pressure, a fast heart rate, and sweating. The combination of headaches from these hypertensive episodes, sweating, and episodic hypertension (often with tachycardia) is the classic triad described for this condition.

The other sets of symptoms don’t fit this scenario: abdominal symptoms point more toward GI issues, low blood pressure with bradycardia suggests different etiologies like adrenal insufficiency or shock, and weight gain with moon facies reflects Cushing’s syndrome, not pheochromocytoma.