[Dramatic symptoms of pheochromocytoma in old woman during antiarrhythmic therapy with sotalol: case report].

We present the case of 81-years old woman with diabetes mellitus and moderate hypertension who reported multiple syncope's. Cerebral and metabolic causes of syncope's were excluded and the patient was diagnosed to have sick sinus syndrome. After implantation of the cardiac pacemaker the treatment with sotalol was started. After introducing the antiarrhythmic drug the frequency of syncopes increased dramatically and blood pressure rose unusually (up to 250/140 mm Hg). Subsequently phaeochromocytoma was suspected. Laboratory data as well as computed tomography confirmed the diagnosis of left adrenal tumour. After successful surgery the blood pressure normalized and the patient recovered uneventfully. The reported cases describes the difficulties in diagnosing phaeochromocytoma in elderly people with multiple different accompanying diseases.