Drug interactions
Isocarboxazid + Tyramine
Severity: Contraindicated
Isocarboxazid and Tyramine: contraindicated interaction.
Last updated
For healthcare professionals — reference only. This page is a brief summary, not medical advice and not a substitute for official labeling or clinical judgement. Always verify before prescribing or dispensing.
Summary
Dietary tyramine in patients on an MAOI can cause the classic hypertensive 'cheese reaction'. Severe headache, palpitations and intracranial hemorrhage can occur.
What this interaction means in plain words
Isocarboxazid and Tyramine are not normally used together. Taking them at the same time is expected to cause harm or make one of them unsafe, so a different medicine is usually chosen for one of the two.
Why it happens
Inhibition of MAO in gut and liver allows tyramine to reach the circulation and displace noradrenaline from nerve endings.
What to do
Instruct patients to follow a low-tyramine diet during and for 2 weeks after treatment; manage a hypertensive crisis urgently if symptoms occur.
What to ask your pharmacist
- Is there an alternative to one of these two medicines for me?
- If both are essential, who is monitoring me and how often?
- Which symptoms mean I should stop and seek help straight away?
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Other interactions of Isocarboxazid
- 5-HTP + Isocarboxazid Contraindicated
- Amitriptyline + Isocarboxazid Contraindicated
- Amobarbital + Isocarboxazid Contraindicated
- Amoxapine + Isocarboxazid Contraindicated
- Apraclonidine + Isocarboxazid Contraindicated
- Atomoxetine + Isocarboxazid Contraindicated
Frequently asked questions
Can I take Isocarboxazid with Tyramine?
MediHelp rates the interaction as contraindicated. Isocarboxazid and Tyramine are not normally used together. Taking them at the same time is expected to cause harm or make one of them unsafe, so a different medicine is usually chosen for one of the two. Dietary tyramine in patients on an MAOI can cause the classic hypertensive 'cheese reaction'. Severe headache, palpitations and intracranial hemorrhage can occur.
How serious is the interaction between Isocarboxazid and Tyramine?
MediHelp rates it contraindicated, on a four-level scale (minor, moderate, major, contraindicated) based on published labels and references. What to do, in brief: Instruct patients to follow a low-tyramine diet during and for 2 weeks after treatment; manage a hypertensive crisis urgently if symptoms occur.
What other medicines interact with Isocarboxazid?
MediHelp also lists interactions of Isocarboxazid with, for example, 5-HTP, Amitriptyline, Amobarbital. The full list is on the Isocarboxazid page.
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