proton pump inhibitors

To study the prescribing pattern of proton pump inhibitors at a private tertiary care hospital. This was a descriptive retrospective as well as prospective study carried out using 220 inpatient prescriptions in internal medicine department at a private tertiary care hospital. Out of 220 prescriptions of PPIs 56% were male patients and remaining were female among them 12.27% were alcoholics and 6.36% were smokers. It was highly prescribed in the age group of 26-35 (23.64%). Highly prescribed proton pump inhibitor was Pantoprazole (72%), IV route was used mostly 80.91% and about 53% of IV prescriptions were switched to oral route after patient being stable. Vomiting (34%) and nausea (28%) were the most common symptoms of ulcer presented. Fever (22.63%) was the most common condition under therapy and antibiotics (20.50%) were highly prescribed drugs concurrently with PPIs. Average cost per day of IV PPIs was Rs.54.69/day and of oral PPIs was Rs.7.8/day. Out of 43 drug interactions found 14 interactions were with iron. Widespread prescriptions of PPIs should be taken into consideration as it is irrationally prescribed for prophylaxis with various medications where only NSAIDs induced ulcer and its treatment is approved by FDA.