[Antipsychotic drugs for women: a narrative review and clinical guidelines]

It has long been thought that women with a schizophrenia spectrum disorder have a more favorable course than men. However, this is not the case, even though they become ill later in life and are less likely to have comorbid drug abuse. Guidelines for prescribing antipsychotics are based on research with mostly male participants, and by following these guidelines we are doing our female patients a disservice. Gender and sex differences lead to differences in preferences, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics.

Providing an overview of antipsychotics for women with a schizophrenia spectrum disorder and discuss the consequences for practice.

A clinically oriented study of the literature.

Women reach higher plasma levels than men when they receive the same dose of antipsychotic drugs (except for lurasidone and quetiapine). The effect of antipsychotics is also greater in women, because estrogens increase the brain’s dopamine sensitivity. This leads to higher risks of side effects. Clinical guidelines differ for women at different stages of life because estrogens greatly contribute to the sex differences seen in the efficacy and tolerability of antipsychotics.

Clinicians should be aware that women should be treated differently with antipsychotics than men.