Test Details: Catecholamines are chemicals made by nerve tissue and the adrenal gland. Main types of catecholamine include dopamine, epinephrine and norepinephrine. Catecholamines are important in stress responses. High levels cause high blood pressure which can lead to headaches, sweating, pounding of the heart, pain in the chest, and anxiety. These hormones are broken down by the body and are eliminated through urine. This test is useful as a follow up to urine metanephrines or plasma free metanephrines for confirming the diagnosis of phaeochromocytomas and paragangliomas.