Isocarboxazid

Generic name: Isocarboxazid
Brand names: Marplan
Dosage form: oral tablet (10 mg)
Drug class: Monoamine oxidase inhibitors

Usage of Isocarboxazid

Isocarboxazid is a monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI) that works by increasing the levels of certain chemicals in the brain.

Isocarboxazid is used to treat symptoms of depression that may include anxiety, panic, or phobias. Isocarboxazid is usually given after other antidepressants have been tried without successful treatment of symptoms.

Isocarboxazid may also be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide.

Isocarboxazid side effects

Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Report any new or worsening symptoms to your doctor, such as: mood or behavior changes, anxiety, panic attacks, trouble sleeping, or if you feel impulsive, irritable, agitated, hostile, aggressive, restless, hyperactive (mentally or physically), more depressed, or have thoughts about suicide or hurting yourself.

Stop taking isocarboxazid and call your doctor at once if you have:

sudden and severe headache, rapid heartbeat, stiffness in your neck, nausea, vomiting, cold sweat, vision problems, sensitivity to light;

chest pain, fast or slow heart rate;

swelling, rapid weight gain;

jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes); or

a light-headed feeling, like you might pass out.

Common side effects of isocarboxazid may include:

headache, dizziness, drowsiness;

tremors;

sleep problems (insomnia);

constipation, nausea; or

dry mouth.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Before taking Isocarboxazid

You should not take isocarboxazid if you are allergic to it, or if you have:

pheochromocytoma (tumor of the adrenal gland);

liver disease;

kidney disease;

a history of stroke or blood clots;

heart disease, high blood pressure; or

a history of severe or frequent headaches.

There are many other medicines that can cause serious medical problems or death if you take them together with isocarboxazid.

Before taking isocarboxazid, tell your doctor about all medicines you have used within the past 5 weeks. The following drugs should not be used while you are taking isocarboxazid:

Buspirone (Buspar);

Carbamazepine;

levodopa;

methyldopa;

tryptophan;

certain antidepressants--amitriptylline, Bupropion, citalopram, clomipramine, desipramine, doxepin, escitalopram, fluoxetine, fluvoxamine, imipramine, maprotiline, nortriptyline, paroxetine, protriptyline, sertraline, trimipramine (known by brand names such as Celexa, Lexapro, Luvox, Norpramin, Prozac, Paxil, Wellbutrin, and Zoloft);

narcotic pain medicine--morphine, tramadol, Demerol, OxyContin, Percocet, Vicodin, and others;

ADHD medicine--Adderall, Concerta, Ritalin, Vyvanse, and others;

diet pills; or

over-the-counter cough or cold medicine.

Do not use isocarboxazid if you have used another MAO inhibitor in the past 14 days. A dangerous drug interaction could occur. MAO inhibitors include linezolid, methylene blue injection, phenelzine, procarbazine, rasagiline, selegiline, tranylcypromine, and others.

To make sure isocarboxazid is safe for you, tell your doctor if you have:

a history of heart disease or high blood pressure;

diabetes;

a thyroid disorder;

schizophrenia;

epilepsy or other seizure disorder; or

if you have taken any other antidepressant within the past 5 weeks.

Some young people have thoughts about suicide when first taking an antidepressant. Your doctor will need to check your progress at regular visits while you are using isocarboxazid. Your family or other caregivers should also be alert to changes in your mood or symptoms.

FDA pregnancy category C. It is not known whether isocarboxazid will harm an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant while using isocarboxazid.

It is not known whether isocarboxazid passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing baby. Tell your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.

Do not give isocarboxazid to anyone younger than 16 years old without the advice of a doctor.

Relate drugs

How to use Isocarboxazid

Usual Adult Dose for Depression:

Initial dose: 10 mg orally 2 times a day-Increase in 10 mg increments every 2 to 4 days, until 40 mg/day is reached (by the end of the first week of treatment); doses should be divided into 2 to 4 doses per day.-After the first week, the dose may be increased in increments of up to 20 mg per week, if needed and tolerated.Maximum dose: 60 mg/dayComments:-Doses should be adjusted based on careful observation of the patient.-After the maximum clinical response is achieved, prescribers should consider reducing the dose slowly over several weeks without jeopardizing therapeutic response.-Benefits may not be seen for 3 to 6 weeks; if a response does not occur within this time, continued use is unlikely to help.-Efficacy has not been established in studies lasting longer than 6 weeks; patients requiring treatment longer than 6 weeks should be evaluated for usefulness.-Use with caution if doses above 40 mg/day are used.Use: Second-line treatment of depression, especially major depressive disorder in patients with or without signs/symptoms of anxiety (e.g., anxious mood, panic, phobic symptoms) who have not responded satisfactorily to other antidepressants

Warnings

There are many other medicines that can cause serious medical problems or death if you take them together with isocarboxazid. Before taking isocarboxazid, tell your doctor about all medicines you have used within the past 5 weeks.

While you are taking isocarboxazid, you must not drink alcohol or eat foods that are high in tyramine, listed in the "What should I avoid while taking isocarboxazid?" section of this leaflet. Eating tyramine while you are taking isocarboxazid can raise your blood pressure to dangerous levels.

What other drugs will affect Isocarboxazid

Taking isocarboxazid with other drugs that make you sleepy can worsen this effect. Ask your doctor before taking isocarboxazid with a sleeping pill, narcotic pain medicine, muscle relaxer, or medicine for anxiety, depression, or seizures.

Many drugs can interact with isocarboxazid, and some drugs should not be used together. This includes prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products. Not all possible interactions are listed in this medication guide. Tell your doctor about all medicines you use, and those you start or stop using during your treatment with isocarboxazid. Give a list of all your medicines to any healthcare provider who treats you.

Disclaimer

Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Drugslib.com is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Drugslib.com information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Drugslib.com does not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Drugslib.com's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Drugslib.com's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners.

The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Drugslib.com does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information Drugslib.com provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.