Tyramine 150 mg has been found to cause a 30 mmHg rise in systolic blood pressure when given with
moclobemide. No reports of the potentially life-threatening hypertensive reactions seen with non-selective
MAOIs appear to have been published for
moclobemide.
Note that 150 mg of tyramine is equivalent to that found in about 200 g of Stilton cheese or 300 g of Gorgonzola cheese, which are really excessive amounts of cheese to be eaten in a few minutes. Most patients therefore do not need to follow the special dietary restrictions required with the non-selective
MAOIs, but, to be on the safe side, the manufacturers of
moclobemide advise all patients to avoid large amounts of tyramine-rich foods, because a few individuals may be particu- larly sensitive to its effects.