Question

Scenario 1: Samantha Holler is a single woman in her late twenties with three children. Five years ago Samantha began experiencing anxiety and panic attacks. Samantha went to her doctor was put on antianxiety and antidepressant medication. However, her anxiety and panic attacks continued with frequent, sudden, and unexplainable outbursts of anger. Two years ago her husband left saying she was too difficult to live with. Around that time, Samantha began to have frequent headaches, constant sweating, and moments when her heart would start racing. Initially, Samantha ignored these new symptoms because she assumed they were just a result of her stress levels. Now, Samantha is back at the doctor’s office. Her symptoms are now much worse and more frequent. The routine health check performed by the nurse recorded that she had warm flushed skin, noticeable sweating, rapid pulse, and high blood pressure. Following urinalysis and hormone blood testing it is recorded that Samantha has high levels of epinephrine and norepinephrine in both her urine and blood. Further tests reveal that Samantha has pheochromocytoma, an adrenal medulla tumor.

a. Which part of the autonomic nervous system is being stimulated by the adrenal tumor? How do you know?

b. Which symptoms can you identify as being a direct result of this system is being activated?

c. What organ systems are being primarily affected?

Answer 1

A. Sympatheic part of ANS is stimulated by adrenal tumour as adrenal medula secretes epinephrine and norepinephrine which are characteristic of sympathetic autonomic nervous system.

B.Anxiety, constant sweating and racing heart from overstimulation of sympathetic nervous system

C.Adrenal gland is primarily affected in pheochromocytoma which furthur affects other organ system like cardiovascular system in form of rapid heartbeat, respiratory system by causing dyspnea