This article was first published on December 23, 2022. It was last reviewed and updated on December 26, 2022.
Experienced (old? 🙂 ) clinicians who prescribe psychiatric medications to patients with so-called “treatment-resistant” depression are concerned that many younger clinicians have not been provided with the knowledge and skills that are necessary for being able to safely and effectively prescribe the classic MAO inhibitors (phenelzine, tranylcypromine, isocarboxazid).
One important step in providing guidance on this topic is the following paper that was published in 2022:
The prescriber’s guide to classic MAO inhibitors (phenelzine, tranylcypromine, isocarboxazid) for treatment-resistant depression.
(I am proud to be one of the many co-authors of this publication.)
This paper can be accessed and downloaded at no cost at the following link:
https://doi.org/10.1017/S1092852922000906
The guide is authored by a large international team of authors who are highly-respected psychopharmacology experts. That is why it is an important step toward building expert consensus about how to use the classic MAO inhibitors.
Related Pages
Classic MAO inhibitors
Classic MAO inhibitors—General
Types of MAO and of MAO inhibitors
Are MAO inhibitors (MAOIs) efficacious and safe for bipolar depression?
Combining an MAO inhibitor and another antidepressant
Can antidepressants be used with MAO-B inhibitors?
How to manage major depressive disorder with atypical features
Phenelzine
Phenelzine (Nardil®): Basic Information
How to choose between phenelzine (Nardil®) and tranylcypromine (Parnate®)
Selegiline
Tranylcypromine
Tranylcypromine (Parnate®): Basic Information
How to choose between phenelzine (Nardil®) and tranylcypromine (Parnate®)
Isocarboxazid
MAO inhibitors—Diet
MAO inhibitor diet
MAO Inhibitor diet (patient handout)
Can I have cheese or pizza?
How about some Chinese food?
MAO inhibitors and goat cheese
MAO inhibitors—Side effects
How to choose between phenelzine (Nardil®) and tranylcypromine (Parnate®)
MAO inhibitor-induced insomnia
MAO inhibitors and edema
MAO inhibitors can affect vitamin B6 (pyridoxine)
Rash, irritation, or itching with transdermal patches
MAO inhibitors—Drug interactions
MAO inhibitors and other medications
MAO Inhibitors and other medications (patient handout) (link to the handouts page)
Be very careful when switching from one MAO inhibitor to another
MAO inhibitors (MAOIs) and contraindicated medications: How long do we have to wait?
How to switch from oral or transdermal selegiline (Emsam®) to another MAO inhibitor
Should we prescribe emergency medication for hypertensive urgency with MAO inhibitors?
References
Van den Eynde V, Abdelmoemin WR, Abraham MM, Amsterdam JD, Anderson IM, Andrade C, Baker GB, Beekman ATF, Berk M, Birkenhäger TK, Blackwell BB, Blier P, Blom MBJ, Bodkin AJ, Cattaneo CI, Dantz B, Davidson J, Dunlop BW, EstĂ©vez RF, Feinberg SS, Finberg JPM, Fochtmann LJ, Gotlib D, Holt A, Insel TR, Larsen JK, Mago R, Menkes DB, Meyer JM, Nutt DJ, Parker G, Rego MD, Richelson E, RuhĂ© HG, Sáiz-Ruiz J, Stahl SM, Steele T, Thase ME, Ulrich S, van Balkom AJLM, Vieta E, Whyte I, Young AH, Gillman PK. The prescriber’s guide to classic MAO inhibitors (phenelzine, tranylcypromine, isocarboxazid) for treatment-resistant depression. CNS Spectr. 2022 Jul 15:1-14. doi: 10.1017/S1092852922000906. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 35837681.
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