SIX CASES OF HYPERTENSIVE CRISIS IN PATIENTS ON TRANYLCYPROMINE AFTER EATING CHICKEN LIVERS
DAVID L. HEDBERG M.D.1,
MALCOLM W. GORDON PH.D.2, , and
BERNARD C. GLUECK JR. M.D.3
1 Research Psychiatrist, Institute of Living, Hartford, Conn.
2 Director of the biochemistry laboratories, Institute of Living, Hartford, Conn.
3 Director of Research, Institute of Living, Hartford, Conn.
Chicken livers ingested by patients who were receiving the MAO inhibitor, tranylcypromine, gave rise to six serious hypertensive episodes and four moderately severe side reactions. Biochemical analysis of samples of chicken livers ingested by patients who showed adverse reactions showed the presence of approximately 100 µg/gm of tyramine. Further investigation is needed to verify the hypothesis that patients on tranylcypromine and a phenothiazine who ingested liver were free of symptoms as a result of the protection afforded by the phenothiazine when prescribed with the MAO inhibitor at a given milligram ratio.
