BACK TOTOP Browse A-ZSearchBrowse A-ZABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ0-9 E-mail FormEmail ResultsName:Email address:Recipients Name:Recipients address:Message: Print-FriendlyBookmarksbookmarks-menuCatecholamine blood testNorepinephrine - blood; Epinephrine - blood; Adrenaline - blood; Dopamine - bloodThis test measures the levels of catecholamines in the blood. Catecholamines are hormones made by the adrenal glands. The three catecholamines are epinephrine (adrenaline), norepinephrine, and dopamine.Catecholamines are more often measured with a urine test than with a blood test.Urine testCatecholamines are chemicals made by nerve tissue (including the brain) and the adrenal gland. The main types of catecholamines are dopamine, norepin...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article How the Test is Performed A blood sample is needed.Blood sampleVenipuncture is the collection of blood from a vein. It is most often done for laboratory testing.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article How to Prepare for the Test You will likely be told not to eat anything (fast) for 10 hours before the test. You may be allowed to drink water during this time.The accuracy of the test can be affected by certain foods and medicines. Foods that can increase catecholamine levels include:Coffee Tea Bananas Chocolate Cocoa Citrus fruits Vanilla You should not eat these foods for several days before the test. This is especially true if both blood and urine catecholamines are to be measured.You should also avoid stressful situations and vigorous exercise. Both can affect the accuracy of the test results. Medicines and substances that can increase catecholamine measurements include:Acetaminophen Albuterol Aminophylline Amphetamines Buspirone Caffeine Calcium channel blockers Cocaine Cyclobenzaprine Levodopa Methyldopa Nicotine Nicotinic acid (large doses) Nicotinic acidNiacin is a type of B vitamin. It is a water-soluble vitamin. It is not stored in the body. Water-soluble vitamins dissolve in water. Leftover am...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Phenoxybenzamine Phenothiazines Pseudoephedrine Reserpine Tricyclic antidepressants Medicines that can decrease catecholamine measurements include:Clonidine Guanethidine Monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitors If you take any of the above medicines, check with your health care provider before the blood test about whether you should stop taking your medicine. How the Test will Feel When the needle is inserted to draw blood, some people feel slight pain. Others feel a prick or stinging. Afterward, there may be some throbbing or a slight bruise. This soon goes away. Why the Test is Performed Catecholamines are released into the blood when a person is under physical or emotional stress. The main catecholamines are dopamine, norepinephrine, and epinephrine (which used to be called adrenalin).This test is used to diagnose or rule out certain rare tumors, such as pheochromocytoma or neuroblastoma. It may also be done in people with those conditions to determine if treatment is working.PheochromocytomaPheochromocytoma is a rare tumor of adrenal gland tissue. It results in the release of too much epinephrine and norepinephrine, hormones that contro...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article NeuroblastomaNeuroblastoma is a very rare type of cancerous tumor that develops from nerve tissue. It usually occurs in infants and children.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Normal Results The normal range for epinephrine is 0 to 140 pg/mL (764.3 pmol/L).The normal range for norepinephrine is 70 to 1700 pg/mL (413.8 to 10048.7 pmol/L).The normal range for dopamine is 0 to 30 pg/mL (195.8 pmol/L).Note: Normal value ranges may vary slightly among different laboratories. Some labs use different measurements or test different samples. Talk to your provider about the meaning of your specific test results. What Abnormal Results Mean Higher-than-normal levels of blood catecholamines may suggest:Acute anxiety Ganglioblastoma (very rare tumor) GanglioblastomaGanglioneuroblastoma is an intermediate tumor that arises from nerve tissues. An intermediate tumor is one that is between benign (slow-growing and ...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Ganglioneuroma (very rare tumor) GanglioneuromaGanglioneuroma is a tumor of the autonomic nervous system.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Neuroblastoma (rare tumor) Pheochromocytoma (rare tumor) Severe stress Additional conditions under which the test may be performed include multiple system atrophy.Multiple system atrophyMultiple system atrophy- parkinsonian type (MSA-P) is a rare condition that causes symptoms similar to Parkinson disease. However, people with MSA-P...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Risks There is little risk in having your blood taken. Veins and arteries vary in size from one person to another and from one side of the body to the other. Taking blood from some people may be more difficult than from others.Other risks associated with having blood drawn are slight, but may include:Excessive bleeding Fainting or feeling lightheaded Multiple punctures to locate veins Hematoma (blood accumulating under the skin) Infection (a slight risk any time the skin is broken)Open ReferencesReferencesGuber HA, Oprea M, Russell YX. Evaluation of endocrine function. In: McPherson RA, Pincus MR, eds. Henry's Clinical Diagnosis and Management by Laboratory Methods. 24th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2022:chap 25.Young WF. Adrenal medulla, catecholamines, and pheochromocytoma. In: Goldman L, Schafer AI, eds. Goldman-Cecil Medicine. 26th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 215.AllVideoImagesTogBlood test - illustration Blood is drawn from a vein (venipuncture), usually from the inside of the elbow or the back of the hand. A needle is inserted into the vein, and the blood is collected in an air-tight vial or a syringe. Preparation may vary depending on the specific test.Blood testillustrationBlood test - illustration Blood is drawn from a vein (venipuncture), usually from the inside of the elbow or the back of the hand. A needle is inserted into the vein, and the blood is collected in an air-tight vial or a syringe. Preparation may vary depending on the specific test.Blood testillustration Tests for Catecholamine blood test Catecholamine blood testCatecholamines - urineRelated Information Pheochromocytoma(Condition)Neuroblastoma(Condition)Low blood sugar(Condition)Ganglioneuroblastoma(Condition)Ganglioneuroma(Condition)Multiple system atrophy - parkinsonian type(Condition) Review Date: 2/28/2023 Reviewed By: Jacob Berman, MD, MPH, Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine, Division of General Internal Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team. The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. No warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied, is made as to the accuracy, reliability, timeliness, or correctness of any translations made by a third-party service of the information provided herein into any other language. © 1997- A.D.A.M., a business unit of Ebix, Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited. © 1997- All rights reserved. A.D.A.M. content is best viewed in IE9 or above, Firefox and Google Chrome browser.Content is best viewed in IE9 or above, Firefox and Google Chrome browser.
Catecholamine blood testNorepinephrine - blood; Epinephrine - blood; Adrenaline - blood; Dopamine - bloodThis test measures the levels of catecholamines in the blood. Catecholamines are hormones made by the adrenal glands. The three catecholamines are epinephrine (adrenaline), norepinephrine, and dopamine.Catecholamines are more often measured with a urine test than with a blood test.Urine testCatecholamines are chemicals made by nerve tissue (including the brain) and the adrenal gland. The main types of catecholamines are dopamine, norepin...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article How the Test is Performed A blood sample is needed.Blood sampleVenipuncture is the collection of blood from a vein. It is most often done for laboratory testing.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article How to Prepare for the Test You will likely be told not to eat anything (fast) for 10 hours before the test. You may be allowed to drink water during this time.The accuracy of the test can be affected by certain foods and medicines. Foods that can increase catecholamine levels include:Coffee Tea Bananas Chocolate Cocoa Citrus fruits Vanilla You should not eat these foods for several days before the test. This is especially true if both blood and urine catecholamines are to be measured.You should also avoid stressful situations and vigorous exercise. Both can affect the accuracy of the test results. Medicines and substances that can increase catecholamine measurements include:Acetaminophen Albuterol Aminophylline Amphetamines Buspirone Caffeine Calcium channel blockers Cocaine Cyclobenzaprine Levodopa Methyldopa Nicotine Nicotinic acid (large doses) Nicotinic acidNiacin is a type of B vitamin. It is a water-soluble vitamin. It is not stored in the body. Water-soluble vitamins dissolve in water. Leftover am...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Phenoxybenzamine Phenothiazines Pseudoephedrine Reserpine Tricyclic antidepressants Medicines that can decrease catecholamine measurements include:Clonidine Guanethidine Monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitors If you take any of the above medicines, check with your health care provider before the blood test about whether you should stop taking your medicine. How the Test will Feel When the needle is inserted to draw blood, some people feel slight pain. Others feel a prick or stinging. Afterward, there may be some throbbing or a slight bruise. This soon goes away. Why the Test is Performed Catecholamines are released into the blood when a person is under physical or emotional stress. The main catecholamines are dopamine, norepinephrine, and epinephrine (which used to be called adrenalin).This test is used to diagnose or rule out certain rare tumors, such as pheochromocytoma or neuroblastoma. It may also be done in people with those conditions to determine if treatment is working.PheochromocytomaPheochromocytoma is a rare tumor of adrenal gland tissue. It results in the release of too much epinephrine and norepinephrine, hormones that contro...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article NeuroblastomaNeuroblastoma is a very rare type of cancerous tumor that develops from nerve tissue. It usually occurs in infants and children.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Normal Results The normal range for epinephrine is 0 to 140 pg/mL (764.3 pmol/L).The normal range for norepinephrine is 70 to 1700 pg/mL (413.8 to 10048.7 pmol/L).The normal range for dopamine is 0 to 30 pg/mL (195.8 pmol/L).Note: Normal value ranges may vary slightly among different laboratories. Some labs use different measurements or test different samples. Talk to your provider about the meaning of your specific test results. What Abnormal Results Mean Higher-than-normal levels of blood catecholamines may suggest:Acute anxiety Ganglioblastoma (very rare tumor) GanglioblastomaGanglioneuroblastoma is an intermediate tumor that arises from nerve tissues. An intermediate tumor is one that is between benign (slow-growing and ...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Ganglioneuroma (very rare tumor) GanglioneuromaGanglioneuroma is a tumor of the autonomic nervous system.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Neuroblastoma (rare tumor) Pheochromocytoma (rare tumor) Severe stress Additional conditions under which the test may be performed include multiple system atrophy.Multiple system atrophyMultiple system atrophy- parkinsonian type (MSA-P) is a rare condition that causes symptoms similar to Parkinson disease. However, people with MSA-P...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Risks There is little risk in having your blood taken. Veins and arteries vary in size from one person to another and from one side of the body to the other. Taking blood from some people may be more difficult than from others.Other risks associated with having blood drawn are slight, but may include:Excessive bleeding Fainting or feeling lightheaded Multiple punctures to locate veins Hematoma (blood accumulating under the skin) Infection (a slight risk any time the skin is broken)Open ReferencesReferencesGuber HA, Oprea M, Russell YX. Evaluation of endocrine function. In: McPherson RA, Pincus MR, eds. Henry's Clinical Diagnosis and Management by Laboratory Methods. 24th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2022:chap 25.Young WF. Adrenal medulla, catecholamines, and pheochromocytoma. In: Goldman L, Schafer AI, eds. Goldman-Cecil Medicine. 26th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 215.