An elderly woman tells the nurse that she was successfully treated with phenelzine (Nardil) during a bout of severe depression in the 1970s

Question

Her mood has been worsening in recent years as she has dealt with the death of her husband and functional declines. As a result, she has asked the nurse if her care provider is likely to prescribe this same drug. What fact should underlie the nurse's response to the patient? A) Cognitive behavioral therapy has been found to be more effective than MAO inhibitors, so they are rarely prescribed.
B) In most situations, MAO inhibitors have been largely superseded by tricyclic antidepressants.
C) The risks of serious drug interactions and food interactions mean that MAO inhibitors are rarely used.
D) MAO inhibitors are rarely used because serum levels must be monitored with blood work every 2 weeks.

Answer 1

C
Feedback:
MAO inhibitors are rarely used in clinical practice today, mainly because they may interact with some foods and drugs to produce severe hypertension and possible heart attack or stroke. Serum levels do not need to be monitored. The potential benefits of cognitive behavioral therapy do not affect prescribers' decisions to use MAO inhibitors. SSRIs have become the first line of treatment for depression, replacing tricyclic antidepressants.