Impact of a pharmacist-driven protocol to decrease proton pump inhibitor use in non-intensive care hospitalized adults

Approaches to Deprescribing Proton Pump Inhibitors in Clinical Practice: A Systematic Review

Background: Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are some of the most frequently prescribed medications, but they are often used inappropriately, either being prescribed without a clear indication or continued for longer than necessary. In such cases, deprescribing is recommended. However, despite its proven effectiveness, the implementation of deprescribing in clinical practice remains inconsistent and varied, making it challenging to identify the most effective strategies. The goal is to provide a comprehensive outline of deprescribing interventions for PPI therapy implemented across various settings and by different healthcare professionals. Methods: The study is designed to be a systematic review of the published literature. PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science databases were searched from 1 January 1989 (the first PPI on the market) to 30 September 2024 for articles assessing PPI deprescribing in adult patients, focusing on the implementation rate (primary outcome) or effects on symptoms (secondary outcome). Results: After screening, 66 studies were included, predominantly pragmatic trials (N = 32) or randomized controlled trials (N = 25). We found a variety of interventions promoting PPI deprescription. Collaborative efforts involving multiple healthcare professionals, the use of algorithms for clinical decision-making, and patient involvement have proven to be key elements in the most effective strategies. Discontinuing therapy may not be advisable in cases of recurrent symptoms, suggesting that on-demand therapy could be a recommended approach. Deprescribing is particularly relevant for individuals with mild illnesses and symptoms, where tapering can effectively mitigate the rebound symptoms often associated with abrupt discontinuation. Conclusions: Given the current prevalence of inappropriate PPI prescribing, it is imperative to raise awareness among both physicians and patients about the importance of the deprescribing process, which should be tailored to the specific needs of each patient, considering his/her medical history, current health status, and personal preferences.

Determinants of and interventions for Proton Pump Inhibitor prescription behavior: A systematic scoping review

BACKGROUND

Proton Pump Inhibitors (PPI) are frequently prescribed. Long-term use is associated with side-effects and patients often lack a valid indication. Inappropriate PPI prescribing thus needs to be addressed. This review aims to scope 1) what determinants are studied as reasons for PPI prescribing, 2) what strategies are used for changing PPI (de)prescribing, and 3) whether important determinants are addressed in these interventions.

METHODS

We searched eight databases for papers on determinants of physician PPI prescribing. Studies were included if they were conducted in a Western country and focused on oral PPIs for an adult population. By following the Behaviour Change Wheel, we extracted information regarding PPI prescribing behavior, behavioral determinants and intervention strategies.

FINDINGS

We included 74 papers. Most focused on the determinants knowledge and beliefs about consequences. The latter was consistently related to PPI prescribing. Results for knowledge were mixed. Most interventions used education or enablement (e.g., algorithms, quality check improvements, involvement of pharmacists) as strategies. Enablement consistently improved PPI prescribing, while results for education were mixed.

INTERPRETATION

There is an overemphasis on reflective processes in studies on PPI prescribing. Future research should comprehensively identify behavioral determinants, focusing on reflective and impulsive processes, such that interventions can address the most important determinants.

Multimodal Intervention Assessing the Appropriateness of Acid Suppression Therapy is Associated With Reduced Prescriptions at the Time of Discharge for Hospitalized Inpatients

Background

Acid suppression therapy (AST), including proton pump inhibitors and histamine 2 receptor antagonists, are an overused class of medications. When used inappropriately, AST leads to polypharmacy, increased healthcare costs, and possible negative health consequences.

Objective

To assess whether an intervention including prescriber education combined with a pharmacist-driven protocol was effective in reducing the percentage of patients who were discharged with inappropriate AST.

Methods

This was a prospective pre-post study of adult patients who were prescribed AST before or during their admission to an internal medicine teaching service. All internal medicine resident physicians received education on appropriate AST prescribing. During the 4-week intervention period, dedicated pharmacists assessed the appropriateness of AST and made recommendations regarding deprescribing if no appropriate indication was identified.

Results

During the study period, there were 14 166 admissions during which patients were prescribed AST. Out of the 1143 admissions during the intervention period, appropriateness of AST was assessed by a pharmacist for 163 patients. AST was determined to be inappropriate for 52.8% (n = 86) of patients and discontinuation or de-escalate of therapy occurred in 79.1% (n = 68) of these cases. The percentage of patients discharged on AST decreased from 42.5% before the intervention to 39.9% after the intervention (P = .007).

Conclusion

This study suggests that a multimodal deprescribing intervention reduced prescriptions for AST without an appropriate indication at the time of discharge. To increase the efficiency of the pharmacist assessment several workflow improvements were identified. Further study is necessary to understand the long-term outcomes of this intervention.

Impact of a clinical pharmacist-led stewardship program for the appropriate use of acid suppression therapy in older hospitalized patients: a non-randomized controlled study

BACKGROUND

The potentially inappropriate use of the proton pump inhibitors is prevalent in older adults.

AIM

To evaluate the impact of a clinical pharmacist-led stewardship program for the appropriate use of acid suppression therapy in older hospitalized patients.

METHOD

This parallel nonrandomized controlled study was conducted at an internal medicine service of a tertiary training and research hospital between September 2019 and August 2021. Older patients (≥ 65 years old and received proton pump inhibitors within 48 h of admission) were allocated to two groups according to their number of medical file records, whether odd or even, two groups: control and clinical pharmacist-led stewardship program for the appropriate use of acid suppression therapy (including medication reconciliation and medication review) during the hospital stay. Primary outcome measures were the rate of appropriate use of proton pump inhibitors during hospitalization and potentially inappropriate proton pump inhibitor use at discharge.

RESULTS

The rate of appropriate proton pump inhibitor use during hospitalization was significantly higher in the clinical pharmacist-led program (n = 100) than in the control group (n = 97) (46.4% vs. 79.0%; P < 0.001). The rate of potentially inappropriate proton pump inhibitor use at discharge was significantly lower (61.7% vs. 35.1%; P < 0.05) in the clinical pharmacist-led program among the older patients discharged with a proton pump inhibitor prescription.

CONCLUSION

A clinical pharmacist-led stewardship program for the appropriate use of acid suppression therapy improved the rate of appropriate proton pump inhibitor use and reduced the potentially inappropriate proton pump inhibitor use during the hospital stay.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

NCT05113667 (17 October 2021-registered retrospectively).

Pharmacist-structured review of proton pump inhibitor utilisation in primary care: A nonrandomised control study

INTRODUCTION

In the primary care setting, proton pump inhibitor (PPI) overutilisation often stems from the failure to discontinue prophylaxis treatment prior to tertiary care discharge and consider step-down therapy following discharge. Long-term PPI use can result in potential drug-related problems and unnecessary drug expenditure. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of pharmacist-structured review in reducing inappropriate PPI prescriptions and estimate the potential cost saving.

METHODS

This non-randomised controlled study was conducted for 16 weeks at 17 government health clinics in Selangor, Malaysia. Eligible patients attending the outpatient pharmacies of intervention clinics were recruited consecutively and their consent was obtained. A structured review of PPIs was performed in which pharmacists identified patient demographics, indications and the length of PPI therapy using a PPI intervention form. Recommendations were discussed with physicians before prescription changes were made and documented. Moreover, standard management was conducted in the control clinics.

RESULTS

A total of 568 patients with prescriptions containing PPIs were sampled, with a total of 284 patients being placed into the control and intervention groups, respectively. Compared to the control group, inappropriate PPI utilisation in the intervention group significantly decreased from 79.9 to 30.4% (p<0.05). The changes to PPI prescriptions observed in the intervention group included: stop PPI therapy (30.8%), step-down therapy (22.9%), start substitution therapy (15.9%) and no change (30.4%). The physicians' acceptance rate for pharmacist intervention was 67.8%. A 66.1% reduction in monthly PPI pill count and a 72.0% reduction in monthly medication expenditure (RM44.85/patient/year) were observed.

CONCLUSION

The pharmacist-structured review was effective in increasing appropriate PPI utilisation and led to substantial cost savings.

Current Practice of Stress Ulcer Prophylaxis in Surgical Departments in Mecklenburg Western Pomerania, Germany

Background: Despite the growing concern over its potentially severe side effects and considerable economic burden, stress ulcer prophylaxis (SUP) is still frequently prescribed to patients in medical non-intensive care units. Recent data indicate that the situation is similar in surgical departments. Currently, data on the concepts within and regulation of routine SUP practice in surgical departments are sparse. The present study was designed to examine the current practice of SUP in Mecklenburg West Pomerania, Germany, and to identify possible reasons for the dissociation of medical literature and clinical practice. Methods: A questionnaire-based survey was conducted to elucidate current SUP practices in surgical departments of acute care hospitals in Mecklenburg Western Pomerania, Germany. Results: In most surgical departments (68%), a standard operating procedure (SOP) for SUP had not been developed. In departments with an existing SOP, 47.6% of responding medical staff members (MSM) with prescribing authority did not know of its existence. Of the MSMs aware of the existence of an SUP-SOP, only 42.9% indicated that they were familiar with its content. Critical re-evaluation of SUP indications upon transfer from the intensive care unit (ICU) to the general hospital ward (GHW) and before hospital discharge was performed frequently or systematically by only about half of the responding MSMs. Discussion: In the face of continued massive over-prescription of SUP in the perioperative routine, the development of easy-to-use local guidelines and their strict implementation in the clinical routine, as well as intensified medial education on this subject, may be effective tools to reduce acid-suppressive medication (ASM) associated side effects and economic burden.

Reducing Overuse of Proton Pump Inhibitors for Stress Ulcer Prophylaxis and Nonvariceal Gastrointestinal Bleeding in the Hospital: A Narrative Review and Implementation Guide

Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are among the most commonly used medications in the world; however, these drugs carry the risk of patient harm, including acute and chronic kidney disease, Clostridium difficile infection, hypomagnesemia, and fractures. In the hospital setting, PPIs are overused for stress ulcer prophylaxis and gastrointestinal bleeding, and PPI use often continues after discharge. Numerous multifaceted interventions have demonstrated safe and effective reduction of PPI use in the inpatient setting. This narrative review and the resulting implementation guide summarize published interventions to reduce inappropriate PPI use and provide a strategy for quality improvement teams.

Feasibility of a pharmacy-led intervention to de-implement non-guideline-concordant proton pump inhibitor use

Background

Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are among the most prescribed medications and are often used unnecessarily. PPIs are used for the treatment of heartburn and acid-related disorders. Emerging evidence indicates that PPIs are associated with serious adverse events, such as increased risk of Clostridioides difficile infection. In this study, we designed and piloted a PPI de-implementation intervention among hospitalized non-intensive care unit patients.

Methods

Using the Systems Engineering Initiative for Patient Safety (SEIPS) model as the framework, we developed an intervention with input from providers and patients. On a bi-weekly basis, a trainee pharmacist reviewed a random sample of eligible patients’ charts to assess if PPI prescriptions were guideline-concordant; a recommendation to de-implement non-guideline-concordant PPI therapy was sent when applicable. We used convergent parallel mixed-methods design to evaluate the feasibility and outcomes of the intervention.

Results

During the study period (September 2019 to August 2020), 2171 patients with an active PPI prescription were admitted. We randomly selected 155 patient charts for review. The mean age of patients was 70.9 ± 9 years, 97.4% were male, and 35% were on PPIs for ≥5 years. The average time (minutes) needed to complete the intervention was as follows: 5 to assess if the PPI was guideline-concordant, 5 to provide patient education, and 7 to follow-up with patients post-discharge. After intervention initiation, the week-to-week mean number of PPI prescriptions decreased by 0.5 (S<0.0001). Barriers and facilitators spanned the 5 elements of the SEIPS model and included factors such as providers’ perception that PPIs are low priority medications and patients’ willingness to make changes to their PPI therapy if needed, respectively. Ready access to pharmacists was another frequently reported facilitator to guideline-concordant PPI. Providers recommended a PPI de-implementation intervention that is specific and tells them exactly what they need to do with a PPI treatment.

Conclusion

In a busy inpatient setting, we developed a feasible way to assess PPI therapy, de-implement non-guideline-concordant PPI use, and provide follow-up to assess any unintended consequences. We documented barriers, facilitators, and provider recommendations that should be considered before implementing such an intervention on a large scale.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s43058-021-00161-6.

Using a Systems Engineering Framework to Evaluate Proton Pump Inhibitor Prescribing in Critically Ill Patients

Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are a risk factor for hospital-acquired Clostridium difficile infection (CDI). Much PPI use is inappropriate, and interventions to reduce PPI use, such as for stress ulcer prophylaxis in all critically ill patients, are essential to reduce CDI rates. This mixed-methods study in a combined medical-surgical intensive care unit at a tertiary academic medical center used a human factors engineering approach to understand barriers and facilitators to optimizing PPI prescribing in these patients. We performed chart review of patients for whom PPIs were prescribed to evaluate prescribing practices. Semistructured provider interviews were conducted to determine barriers and facilitators to reducing unnecessary PPI use. Emergent themes from provider interviews were classified according to the Systems Engineering Initiative for Patient Safety model. In our intensive care unit, 25% of PPI days were not clinically indicated. Barriers to optimizing PPI prescribing included inadequate provider education, lack of institutional guidelines for stress ulcer prophylaxis, and strong institutional culture favoring PPI use. Potential facilitators included increased pharmacy oversight, provider education, and embedded decision support in the electronic medical record. Interventions addressing barriers noted by front line providers are needed to reduce unnecessary PPI use, and future studies should assess the impact of such interventions on CDI rates.

Impact of pharmacy-supported interventions on proportion of patients receiving non-indicated acid suppressive therapy upon discharge: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Objective

Conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis to estimate the impact of pharmacy-supported interventions on the proportion of patients discharged from the hospital on inappropriate acid suppressive therapy (AST).

Methods

To identify studies, the following databases were systematically searched on October 14^th, 2018 and repeated on September 12^th, 2019: Ovid MEDLINE(R) and In-Process & Other Non-Indexed Citations and Daily, Embase.com, CINAHL, Web of Science, Cochrane CENTRAL (EBSCO), and ClinicalTrials.gov. Eligible studies consisted of adults, intervention and historical/usual care groups, description of active pharmacy-supported intervention, and proportion of patients discharged on inappropriate AST. Qualitative assessments and quantitative analyses were performed. Modified funnel plot analysis assessed heterogeneity. Preferred reporting items of systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) methodology was used to evaluate studies in this review.

Results

Seventeen publications resulting in 16 studies were included in the review. Using random effects model, meta-analysis showed a significant reduction in the odds of being discharged on inappropriate AST from the hospital in the pharmacist-supported intervention arm versus comparator (Odds Ratio 0.33 [95%CI 0.20 to 0.53]), with significant heterogeneity (I² = 86%). Eleven studies favored pharmacy-supported interventions, four were inconclusive and one favored usual care. Using modified funnel plot analysis, our final evaluation was distilled to 11 studies and revealed a similar outcome (OR 0.36 [95%CI 0.27 to 0.48]), but with less heterogeneity (I² = 36%).

Conclusion

This systematic review and meta-analysis showed that pharmacy-supported interventions were associated with a significantly reduced probability of patients discharged on inappropriate AST. However, heterogeneity was high and may affect interpretation of results. Using funnel plot optimization method, three positive and two negative studies were objectively removed from analyses, resulting in a similar effect size, but with less heterogeneity. To improve study quality, future researchers should consider utilizing a pre-post, multi-arm, prospective design with sampling randomization, training of data extractors (preferably two extractors), re-evaluating a small dataset to check for agreement and providing a comprehensive methodology in subsequent publications.

The situation of infection in the elderly in Spain: a multidisciplinary opinion document

Infection in the elderly is a huge issue whose treatment usually has partial and specific approaches. It is, moreover, one of the areas where intervention can have the most success in improving the quality of life of older patients. In an attempt to give the widest possible focus to this issue, the Health Sciences Foundation has convened experts from different areas to produce this position paper on Infection in the Elderly, so as to compare the opinions of expert doctors and nurses, pharmacists, journalists, representatives of elderly associations and concluding with the ethical aspects raised by the issue. The format is that of discussion of a series of pre-formulated questions that were discussed by all those present. We begin by discussing the concept of the elderly, the reasons for their predisposition to infection, the most frequent infections and their causes, and the workload and economic burden they place on society. We also considered whether we had the data to estimate the proportion of these infections that could be reduced by specific programmes, including vaccination programmes. In this context, the limited presence of this issue in the media, the position of scientific societies and patient associations on the issue and the ethical aspects raised by all this were discussed.

Evaluation of a Pharmacist-Driven Protocol to Reduce Inappropriate Use of Acid-Suppressive Medications In the Non-ICU Setting

PURPOSE

Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) and histamine-2 receptor antagonists (H2 blockers) continue to be over utilized for stress ulcer prophylaxis (SUP). Our study aims to evaluate the effectiveness and feasibility of a pharmacist-driven termination protocol in a community teaching hospital to limit the inappropriate use of acid-suppressive medications in the non-intensive care unit (ICU) setting.

METHODS

Patient charts were evaluated for the appropriate use of PPIs or H2 blockers. A centralized pharmacist contacted healthcare providers for medication discontinuation if the acid suppressant use was deemed inappropriate. The primary outcome of the study was the number of patients who had acid-suppressive medication discontinued after the implementation of the pharmacist-driven termination protocol.

RESULTS

Acid-suppressive medication was inappropriately prescribed for nine patients. It was discontinued for eight of those patients based on the pharmacist-driven termination protocol; this was a statistically significant decrease (P < 0.001). The pharmacist spent, on average, less than one minute on each patient's chart.

CONCLUSION

Our study revealed that a pharmacist-driven termination protocol resulted in a 6% overall reduction rate in inappropriately used acid-suppressive medications, with little impact on pharmacist workflow. Implementing such a termination protocol could help to decrease the inappropriate use of acid-suppressive medications in an inpatient hospital service.

A Multifaceted Intervention to Reduce Pediatric Acid-Suppressant Prescriptions for Gastroesophageal Reflux: What Have We Learned?

OBJECTIVE

Acid-suppressant prescriptions for children have increased over past decades, despite guideline recommendations to prescribe prudently. Acid suppressants are often ineffective and may lead to side effects. We aimed to reduce inappropriate acid-suppressant prescriptions for gastroesophageal reflux in a tertiary care setting through active implementation of national guideline recommendations and to evaluate intervention effect.

METHODS

Implementation consisted of 2 steps. First, all pediatric clinicians in an academic hospital received information on appropriate acid-suppressant prescribing, a link to an online national guideline application and summary card with important evidence-based recommendations-Wise Choices. Hereafter, clinicians prescribing acid suppressants were contacted to provide feedback on indications and to assess their knowledge of the guideline and Wise Choices. The pharmacy database supplied prescription data before, during, and after this intervention.

RESULTS

During the study period prescriptions ranged from 115 to 201/month. Ten months postintervention, a nonsignificant decrease of 4 prescriptions/month was measured (95% confidence interval -49-41). Of the 78 prescribers 76 were successfully contacted: 63% were familiar with the guideline and 45% with Wise Choices. Thirty percent of prescriptions were for gastroesophageal reflux symptoms.

CONCLUSION

This multifaceted implementation strategy did not lead to a significant difference in acid-suppressant prescriptions by tertiary care clinicians of whom the majority was familiar with the gastroesophageal reflux disease guideline. Future studies should clarify, which implementation strategies are most effective in reducing inappropriate prescribing of acid suppressants for children. Uniform registration of prescriptions and indications in a national database will enable monitoring of the intervention effect.

Outcomes From a Pharmacist - led Proton Pump Inhibitor Stewardship Program at a Single Institution

Background: Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are effective medications for acid-related disorders; however, they are also overused and may be associated with several adverse effects. A PPI stewardship program was implemented at one institution to combat the overuse of PPIs. Objective: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of an inpatient PPI stewardship program in reducing PPI use, both during hospitalization and upon discharge. Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study of all patients admitted to an internal medicine service at a single institution from March 14, 2016, to August 14, 2016, with an intervention by the PPI stewardship team. The primary objective was to determine the percentage of patients who tolerated inpatient and outpatient PPI discontinuation, or dose de-escalations upon discharge. Secondary objectives included the identification of risk factors for intolerance of PPI discontinuation, the occurrence of gastrointestinal (GI) complications after PPI discontinuation, and the percentage of patients who required "as needed" acid suppressive therapy (AST) with an antacid or histamine-2 receptor antagonist (H2RA) to control their symptoms while hospitalized. Results: During the study time period, 537 patients with an active outpatient prescription for a PPI were admitted to an internal medicine team with 41.0% (n = 220) not meeting criteria for inpatient continuation. Of these patients, 95.9% (n = 211) tolerated inpatient PPI discontinuation, with 83.4% (n = 176) not requiring any "as needed" AST during hospitalization. Upon discharge, 57.1% patients (n = 24 of 42) tolerated PPI discontinuation at 3 months, while 81.8% patients (n = 18 of 22) tolerated PPI dose de-escalations at 3 months. Risk factors for intolerance of inpatient PPI discontinuation were a higher body mass index (BMI) (33.7 vs 30.3 kg/m², P = .046) and longer length of stay (7.0 vs 4.0 days, P = .03), while longer duration of PPI use (9.0 vs 5.5 years, P = 0.03) was identified as a risk factor for intolerance of outpatient PPI discontinuation. One patient experienced reflux esophagitis 2 months after PPI discontinuation. Conclusion: A PPI stewardship program at a single institution resulted in the reduction of inappropriate PPI use in both the inpatient and outpatient settings.

Impact of clinical pharmacist interventions on inappropriate prophylactic acid suppressant use in hepatobiliary surgical patients undergoing elective operations

Objective

To evaluate the impact and cost-benefit of clinical pharmacist interventions on inappropriate use of prophylactic acid suppressant in hepatobiliary surgical patients in a Chinese tertiary hospital.

Methods

A retro-prospective intervention study of patients undergoing elective operations was performed in the Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery of the Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University. Patients admitted from October to December 2015 and from October to December 2016, served as the pre-intervention and the post-intervention group, respectively. Clinical pharmacist interventions in the post-intervention group included real-time monitoring medical records and recommending that surgeons prescribe prophylactic acid suppressants according to the criteria established by the hospital administration. Then, the clinical outcomes of post-intervention group were compared with the pre-intervention group which lacked pharmacist interventions. In addition, cost-benefit analysis was conducted to determine the economic effects of implementing the clinical pharmacist interventions in acid suppressant prophylaxis in perioperative period.

Results

Clinical pharmacist interventions significantly decreased the rate of the use of no indications for prophylactic acid suppressant and of the cases of inappropriate drug selection, dose, route, replacement and prolonged duration of prophylaxis (P < 0.05 or P < 0.001), resulting in significant increase by 10.65% in the percentage of cases adhering to all the criteria (P < 0.001). Moreover, significant reductions were found in the average usage quantity (P<0.001), mean cost (P = 0.03) and mean duration (P < 0.001) of prophylaxis acid suppressant. The ratio of the mean cost savings for acid suppressants to the mean cost of pharmacist time was 13.61:1.

Conclusion

The clinical pharmacist’s real-time interventions facilitated the rational use of prophylactic acid suppressant and resulted in favorable economic outcomes in hepatobiliary surgery.