SBA — Single Best Answer · Review
Question 441
Pharmacology → General
Classification
Question
SSBAQuestion Header
A patient taking phenelzine develops a severe hypertensive crisis after eating tyramine-rich food. which treatment most directly addresses this acute pressor reaction?
Question Stem
Select the single best answer.
Options
A
Flumazenil
B
Naloxone
C
Phentolamine
D
Propranolol alone
E
Diazepam
Explanation
Monoamine oxidase inhibitors such as phenelzine markedly potentiate the pressor response to dietary tyramine and may precipitate hypertensive crisis. Intravenous administration of a rapidly acting alpha blocker such as phentolamine directly addresses this pressor reaction.
Option Validity
A) Flumazenil antagonises benzodiazepine effects and does not treat the tyramine-MAOI pressor reaction.
B) Naloxone is an opioid antagonist and does not address this mechanism.
D) Rapidly acting alpha blockade with phentolamine directly addresses the hypertensive reaction.
E) Diazepam is a benzodiazepine and does not directly treat the tyramine-induced pressor crisis.
Further Reading
Saxena R. Textbook for MRCOG-1. Chapter 12: Pharmacology. Antidepressant Drugs, p.346.