Used as an aid for the diagnosis of pheochromocytoma, and may be administered immediately prior to or during pheochromocytomectomy to prevent or control paroxysmal hypertension resulting from anesthesia, stress, or operative manipulation of the tumor. Phentolamine has also been used to treat hypertensive crisis caused by sympathomimetic amines or catecholamine excess by certain foods or drugs in patients taking MAO inhibitors, or by clonidine withdrawal syndrome. Other indications include the prevention of dermal necrosis and sloughing following IV administration or extravasation of norepinephrine, decrease in impedance to left ventricular ejection and the infarct size in patients with MI associated with left ventricular failure, treatment of erectile dysfunction through self-injection of small doses combined with papaverine hydrochloride into the corpus cavernosum, and as an adjunct to the management of cocaine overdose to reverse coronary vasoconstriction following use of oxygen, benzodiazepines,and nitroglycerin.