By nature, SSRIs and MAOIs are far different from one another. Basically, SSRIs are considerably the first line of treatment for depression and other related disorders for they are effective and have lesser side effects.
Unlike MAOIs on the other hand that are only prescribed and eventually used after other classes of drugs have failed. Well actually, MAOIs are considered as the most effective line of antidepressants among all of the made available antidepressants at present.
They are also effective treatments for atypical depression that may include reactive mood disturbance, adequate premorbid personality, inverted neurovegetative features, eminent anxiety, histrionic features, phobic features, marked fatigue, insomnia combined with sleeping time abnormality, psychosomatic complaints and or at times hypochondriasis.
However, because of some dietary or drug-food restrictions, hypertensive reactions and more adverse effects that they could possibly cause, they are oftentimes not prescribed instantly, most especially without great need.
Possibility of Drug and Food Interactions
As of now, MAOIs are not usually prescribed by most doctors mainly because of some possible severe or serious side effects it may produce when actually combined with other drugs of foods that actually contain tryptophan or tyramine.
In fact, deadly hypertensive crisis has taken place with associated use of tryptophan or tyramine. Similarly, Serotonin Poisoning or Serotonin Syndrome has also taken place with tryptophan or tyramine and MAOI use.
Generally, the person who may have some sort of drug-drug or drug-food interactions may experience some mental status changes, at times incoordination, hyperreflexia, tachycardia, fever, sweating, shivering, and diarrhea.
Thus, before using any drug form the family of MAOI, it is vital and very much suggested that you have extra precaution or sense of prudence at all means.
Tags: maoi, Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors, Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors, ssri