Appropriateness Analysis of Proton Pump Inhibitor Use among General Medicine Inpatients of a Secondary Care Hospital: A Hospital Based Cross-Sectional Study

Background: Proton pump inhibitors are used for suppressing gastric acid secretion. They are among the most routinely prescribed drugs globally due to their excellent efficacy and low risk of side effects, yet they are frequently used inappropriately. Although extensive studies are available in Western countries on proton pump inhibitor appropriateness, such data from India is still very limited. Materials and Methods: This is a hospital-based cross-sectional study where 402 patients participated, and appropriateness was assessed using standard guidelines (Food and Drug Administration, National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, and American College of Gastroenterology) and the Medication Appropriateness Index tool (among proton pump inhibitor users). Results: Logistic regression was performed, and strong relationships between the appropriateness of proton pump inhibitor usage and gender and comorbidity were observed. According to standard guidelines, appropriate usage of proton pump inhibitors was recorded as highest during hospitalization (33%), and least during discharge (8%). Conclusion: This study explored the appropriateness of proton pump inhibitor prescriptions among general medicine inpatients at a secondary care referral hospital in Andhra Pradesh. Inappropriate proton pump inhibitor usage is still more prevalent in our country, and it is imperative to enhance appropriate proton pump inhibitor prescription, particularly with regard to minimizing misuse, to attain a noteworthy reduction in healthcare expenses and anticipate a decreased occurrence of possible unfavorable outcomes.