Focal Myocarditis Associated with Pheochromocytoma

Abstract

MYOCARDIAL lesions have been described in patients who had received catecholamines for prolonged periods before death,^{1 2 3 4} and similar lesions have been produced in the myocardium of laboratory animals by the administration of norepinephrine³ and epinephrine.⁵ Myocardial lesions might thus be expected in patients harboring a functioning pheochromocytoma, but only a few morphologic studies of myocardial lesions in such patients have been reported.^{2 , 6} Since cardiovascular disorders are often predominant causes of death in patients with pheochromocytoma⁷ the hearts of such patients were reviewed in search of myocardial lesions. In addition, experimental lesions were produced in the myocardium of rats by the . . .