Effects of CYP2D6 genotypes and phenotypes on plasma levels of aripiprazole

Aripiprazole is a third‐generation antipsychotic with a unique pharmacological profile, exerting partial D 2 receptor agonism. It is metabolized primarily by the liver enzyme CYP2D6 and partially by CYP3A4 to its main metabolite, dehydro‐aripiprazole. As a result of genetic inheritance of different allelic variants of the gene that controls CYP2D6 enzyme activity, that activity is significantly different among several CYP2D6 phenotypes: normal metabolizers (NM) with normal enzyme activity, ultra‐rapid metabolizers (UM) with high enzyme activity, intermediate metabolizers (IM) with reduced enzyme activity, and poor metabolizers (PM) with very low or complete absence of enzyme activity.