Monoamine oxidase inhibitors and hypertension

• monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) can cause a sudden hypertensive crisis by irreversibly blocking the breakdown of catecholamines following the consumption of foods containing catecholamine releaser tyramine (1)
  
  
• MAOIs (including meclobemide) should be avoided in patients who have experienced a hypertensive crisis (2)

Reference:

• 1) Blackwell B et al (1967). Hypertensive interactions between monoamine oxidase inhibitors and foodstuffs. Br J Psychiatry, 113, 349-65.
• 2) Prescribers' Journal (2000), 40 (2), 169-174.