Phenylephrine Monoamine oxidase inhibitors

Phenylephrine is a nasal decongestant that mimics the sympathetic system, thereby increasing the heart rate and blood pressure. It may aggravate conditions such as diabetes, hypertension and glaucoma. Patients with hypertension, ischaemic heart disease, hyperthyroidism, diabetes and glaucoma are therefore given topical nasal sympathomimetics rather than systemic sympathomimetics. Both topical and systemic sympathomimetics are contraindicated in patients taking monoamine oxidase inhibitors, because concurrent administration of the two products may lead to a hypertensive crisis. 

Affective and Mental Disorders. Anxiety and emotional instability can be associated with psychogenic reactions, such as vasovagal syncope, that may appear to be drug related. Medications used to treat these disorders may potentiate the activity of ophthalmic medications. The use of monoamine oxidase inhibitors or tricyclic antidepressants can enhance the systemic effects of topically applied phenylephrine and a2-adrenergic agonists. 

Patients taking monoamine oxidase inhibitors, anticholinergic drugs (such as tricyclic antidepressants), propranolol, reserpine, guanethidine, and methyldopa should be monitored closely if phenylephrine is used (SEDA-16, 542) (16). 

Martyr JW, Orlikowski CEP. Epidural anaesthesia, ephedrine and phenylephrine in a patient taking moclobemide, a new monoamine oxidase inhibitor. Anaesthesia 996) 51, 1150-2. 

Like moclobemide, toloxatone, a selective and reversible inhibitor of monoamine oxidase type A, is thought to be relatively safe in combination with sympathomimetics (SEDA-18, 16). However, sweating, tachycardia, and headache have been reported when terbutaline was added to toloxatone and phenylephrine (SEDA-18, 16). In healthy volunteers, doses up to 600 mg/day did not produce hypertensive reactions on challenge with oral tyramine (SEDA-17, 17). Two fatal cases of fulminant hepatitis have been reported (SEDA-16, 7). 

Patients taking certain systemic medications are also more sensitive to the pressor effects of phenylephrine. In individuals taking atropine, the pressor effect of phenylephrine is augmented, and tachycardia can occur. Tricyclic antidepressants and monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitors also potentiate the cardiovascular effects of topical phenylephrine. The concomitant use of phenylephrine is contraindicated with these agents, even up to 21 days after cessation of MAO inhibitor therapy. Similarly, patients taking reserpine, guanethidine, or methyldopa are at increased risk for adverse pressor effects from topical phenylephrine because of denervation hypersensitivity accompanying the chemical sympathectomy. 

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