Mon 15 Sep 2008
Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors (MAOIs) are a class of medications commonly prescribed for severe depression. One of the major side effects: Tyramine Syndrome, which causes a rapid rise in heart rate and blood pressure if certain foods are eaten.
Foods that are verboten? Eating liver with some fava beans and a nice Chianti. I doubt it’s coincidence that Hannibal Lecter – a brilliant psychiatrist who would be well versed in pharmacotherapy – mentioned those three specific foods.
Touché, Thomas Harris. Well played.
Writers and actors must know as much as possible to be believeable. I am not surprised.
That said I have been on MAOIs. For depression. Can’t remember the name of it but I think it started with an “e” and when I backed off of it my lips and gums went numb for a week. Turns out I was actually not depressed at all. I just needed to get divorced.