Application of Antipsychotic Medication: Gender Differences in Tolerance and Medication Response

Abstract

This paper covers the role of gender factor in the efficacy and tolerance of antipsychotic therapy in patients with schizophrenic spectrum disorders. The author describes phenomenology of definitions that characterizes differences between male and female sexes. The authors give the data on biological basis of gender differences, frequency of occurrence and clinical features of neuroendocrine dysfunctions (NED) in patients with schizophrenic spectrum disorders during the therapy by first and second generations antipsychotics. It is shown that female patients are more “vulnerable” for some NED. It is emphasized that the problem of tolerance is now more relevant and significant in comparison with the efficacy of antipsychotics, because intolerance or poor tolerance are one of the most common reasons for non-adherence to therapy up to the complete abandonment of it.