Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors

Your name: Your e-mail address: Your friend's e-mail addresses:

(separate multiple addresses with comma)
Indicates required field
Message (limit 100 characters)
Enter answer below:

(Why the math? It protects against spam)
=
Send
Cancel
Your message has been successfully sent!

Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs), such as phenelzine sulfate, are last-resort drugs used as a preventive treatment for headaches that are unresponsive to other treatments. MAOIs act by preventing the narrowing (constriction) and expansion (dilation) of blood vessels.

• Possible side effects include dizziness, insomnia, constipation, skin rashes, and low blood pressure.
• These drugs have problematic interactions with foods that contain the substance tyramine; thus, people using MAOIs must follow a special diet, avoiding foods such as aged cheese, beer, and wine.
• MAOIs should be used with caution by patients who have kidney disease, seizure disorders, cardiovascular disease, or a condition in which an excess of a particular hormone (parathyroid hormone) disturbs several intricately balanced chemical systems in the body (hyperparathyroidism). Pregnant or nursing women should not use MAOIs.