Revisiting Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors

Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) were among the first class of agents introduced for the treatmentof depression. However, they have fallen out of favor among clinicians over the years, due mostly to an unfavorablesafety profile, the need for restrictive dietary prohibitions, and the fear of hypertensive crisis. Thedevelopment of a novel, transdermal MAOI system now offers clinicians an additional option for managingpatients with unipolar, bipolar, atypical, and treatment-resistant depression.