Association Between Concern for Adverse Events and Discontinuation of PPIs

Reports of adverse events from proton-pump inhibitors might be inappropriately guiding clinicians' discontinuation decisions.

Alleged potential adverse events (AEs) of proton-pump inhibitor (PPI) use include cardiovascular disease, stroke, bone fracture, Clostridium difficile infection, renal disease, and more. The high prevalence of both PPI use and these conditions has led many care providers, as well as patients, to stop these medications — at times inappropriately.

To assess practice variation in this setting, researchers asked U.S. physicians how likely they would be to discontinue PPIs in a 70-year old woman on omeprazole (20 mg daily) who was recently diagnosed with osteopenia, a recognized risk for bone fracture. Three different case scenarios depicted low risk for upper gastrointestinal bleeding (well-controlled gastroesophageal reflux disease and normal e…

Reviewing Author

David A. Johnson, MD

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory boardMedscape/WebMD; Pfizer; CRH Medical Corporation; Aries

EquityCRH Medical Corporation

Editorial boardsMedscape Gastroenterology

Leadership positions in professional societiesAmerican College of Gastroenterology Research Institute Board of Directors