Sipple's syndrome presenting acutely as severe heart failure

We describe the case of a 56-year-old man who developed acute hypertension leading to cardiac insufficiency, arrhythmia, severe heart failure and death. The autopsy revealed Sipple's syndrome (multiple endocrine neoplasia syndrome type IIa) and catecholamine-induced cardiomyopathy. This man had received a false diagnosis of primary hypertension 1 year before. The prime objective of this report is to call attention to the necessity of an in depth diagnosis of labile and paroxysmal hypertension. The clinical diagnostic features of phaeochromocytoma as well as the main therapeutic approaches suggested in the literature are commented on.