Women are twice as likely as men to experience depression. According to the Mayoclinic.com, hormones, work overload and sexual abuse are among the factors that may increase a woman's risk of depression.
Hormones
An article published in esciencenews.com suggests there is a biological difference in the way medication for depression affects women compared with men. Hormonal differences between men and women are believed to be the cause.
Expert Insight
In the July 1999 issue of the “American Family Physician,” Dr. Subhash C. Bhatia states that doctors should identify relationships between depression and menstruation, pregnancy, the postnatal period and the menopausal period before prescribing medication for depression in women.
Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors
According to helpguide.org, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, or SSRIs, are the most widely prescribed medications for depression. They include fluoxetine, fluvoxamine, sertraline, paroxetine, escitalopram and citalopram. Patient response to SSRIs varies.
Other Antidepressants
Serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors, or SNRIs are similar to SSRIs. They include venlafaxine, duloxetine and desvenlafaxine. SSRIs and SNRIs tend to have fewer side effects when compared to older classes of antidepressants. Some other atypical antidepressants include bupropion, mirtazapine, trazodone and nefazodone.
Older Antidepressants
Tricyclic antidepressants and monoamine oxidase inhibitors have been shown to be effective in treating depression in women since the 1950s. According to helpguide.org, they have some serious side effects and are often reserved for patients who have failed on other types of antidepressants.
