ALERT: Methylene Blue- A Potential Cause of Serotonin Toxicity

Healthcare professionals and patients may not realize that methylene blue has monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI) properties. Methylene blue should generally not be given to patients taking serotonergic drugs. When should patients stop taking SSRIs prior to methylene blue use? When should they be restarted? In this session, we will review the MOA of this common dye utilized in surgery and review ways to prevent a possible lethal reaction.