Female Gender as a Risk Factor for the Development of Drug-Induced Diseases

Abstract

Gender is an important factor affecting the risk of drug-induced adverse reactions in patients. According to scientific literature, the risk of drug-induced symptoms, syndromes, and diseases is 1.5–1.7 times higher in women than in men. The aim of the study was to analyse and systematise data on the factors responsible for increased risk of drug-induced diseases in women. It was demonstrated that the increased risk of complications in women following the use of certain pharmacological classes of drugs is associated with a combination of factors that affect pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics. These factors include anatomical and physiological characteristics, specificity of enzyme and transport protein activity/expression. Women, compared to men, have higher percentage of adipose tissue and lower percentage of water in the body, which affects the volume of distribution of lipophilic agents, such as opioids and benzodiazepines, resulting in their accumulation in the body. Women have a lower rate of renal excretion and elimination, as compared to men, which may lead to adverse reactions following the use of medicines with predominantly urinary excretion. Changes in the endocrine profile in women taking sex steroids as replacement therapy or a contraceptive measure, as well as fluctuations in endogenous sex steroids during the menstrual cycle, pregnancy, perimenopause, influence the volume of distribution, the activity of cytochrome P450 enzymes, and the glomerular filtration rate, and, thus, may affect the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of other medicinal products, which, in turn, affect the safety of pharmacotherapy. In order to increase the safety of pharmacotherapy in women, it is necessary to consider the revealed specific pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic parameters of the medicine in a given group of patients when selecting the treatment regimen, including the dosage regimen and routes of administration.