Results of a brief survey on the prescribing practices for monoamine oxidase inhibitor antidepressants.

Four hundred eighty-five psychiatrists in Pennsylvania and Delaware responded to a survey of prescribing practices for the monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI) antidepressants. Although the low response rate (34%) limited the generalizability of the results, the similarity between respondents and the total sample surveyed argued against gross sampling bias. The authors found that only a minority of psychiatrists (25%) prescribe MAOIs regularly, despite a relatively low rate of reports of serious sequelae from hypertensive crises or other side effects. They also found that a substantial number of psychiatrists who regularly prescribe MAOIs also report prescribing high doses and combining therapy with tricyclics, lithium, neuroleptics, and psychostimulants. These findings have implications for postmarketing research on psychotropic drugs.