Encouraging appropriate use of proton pump inhibitors: existing initiatives and proposals for the future

Introduction: Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) have revolutionized the management of acid-related disorders, representing today the mainstay treatment of these conditions. However, despite their large range of indications and usefulness, the remarkable expansion of their use in the last two decades cannot be explained by the increasing prevalence of acid-related diseases only. An inappropriate prescription for clinical conditions in which the pathogenetic role of acid has not been documented has been described, with the natural consequence of increasing the costs and the potential risk of iatrogenic harm due to adverse events and complications recently emerged. Areas covered: In this review, we summarize current indications of PPIs administration, potential adverse events associated with their chronic utilization, and misuse of PPIs. Moreover, we describe existing and possible initiatives for improving the use of PPIs, and some proposals for the future. Expert opinion: PPI deprescribing is the preferred and most effective approach to reduce the use of PPIs, rather than adopting sharp discontinuation, probably due to fewer withdrawal symptoms. Nonetheless, large knowledge gaps still exist in clinical practice regarding the optimal approach of PPI deprescribing in various clinical scenarios. Further prospective well-designed international studies are eagerly warranted to improve our perspectives on controlling global PPI inappropriate use.

Automated summary

Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are widely used in the treatment of acid-related disorders, but their increasing use cannot be fully explained by the prevalence of these diseases alone. Inappropriate prescribing and overuse of PPIs has led to increased costs and potential harm. This review highlights current indications, potential adverse events, misuse of PPIs, and proposes strategies for improving their use. PPI deprescribing is recommended as the preferred approach, but more research is needed to determine optimal deprescribing methods in different clinical scenarios.