36 Percent of Proton Pump Inhibitor Prescriptions for Older Adults May Be Unnecessary

A study published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society found roughly 36 percent of prescribed proton pump inhibitor drugs for older adults are potentially unnecessary, mainly because people take them far longer than eight weeks as recommended, reports Medical Xpress . The researchers identified 69,000 people 65 and older who were receiving primary care at a large health system in 2018, of whom 8,700 were prescribed the inhibitors. A random sample of charts for 399 individuals prescribed the inhibitors was reviewed to ascertain which individuals did or did not have conditions calling for their use. "Most proton pump inhibitor prescriptions began appropriately but became unnecessary because they were prescribed far longer than needed, suggesting that electronic health records can automatically default low-value prescriptions to remain short term," noted University of California, Los Angeles Professor John Mafi. He recommended consultations with doctors about whether the prescription is medically necessary, and suggested other health systems act to measure and eliminate harmful, low-value care on a wider basis.