Difficulty: Medium
Average Score: 95%
Simulated
A nurse is assessing a client who is taking phenelzine and reports eating aged cheese. Which of the following is a manifestation of an interaction between the medication and the food?
Correct answer
D
Rationale
The correct answer is D: Hypertension. Phenelzine is a monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI) that can interact with tyramine-rich foods like aged cheese, leading to hypertensive crisis. Tyramine can displace norepinephrine, causing a sudden increase in blood pressure. Somnolence (choice A) is a common side effect of phenelzine but not related to the interaction with aged cheese. Diarrhea (choice B) is not a typical manifestation of this interaction. Bradycardia (choice C) is not associated with the MAOI and aged cheese interaction.