[Assessing the use of proton pump inhibitors in an internal medicine department].
BACKGROUND
proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) block the H+/K+ ATPase enzyme in gastric wall cells, leading to an inhibition of both baseline and stimulated acid secretion. Appropriate indications include: Gastroesophageal reflux, acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding, erosive gastritis or esophagitis, dyspepsia, NSAID-related gastropathy, and stress ulcer prophylaxis in high risk patients. The aims of this study were to review the current indications of PPIs, and to evaluate their use in Guadalajara s University Hospital.


METHODS
a transversal, analytic, randomized study was carried out during 2003 in our internal medicine department. A total of 208 medical records for 832 patients receiving PPIs were reviewed (25%). Mean age was 67 years (range: 16-92), 46.2% were females, and most frequent conditions were HBP, COPD, and DM.


RESULTS
34.6% of patients took PPIs before admission, their use being inappropriate in 68.1% of them. Among hospitalized patients 73.03% used PPIs inappropriately, and most of them had no such indication at discharge.


CONCLUSIONS
results are in accordance with the literature, with a high frequency of incorrect PPI use; a more accurate use of PPIs is to be recommended to avoid side effects and drug interactions, and to provide a more efficient medical care.
Martín-Echevarría
E
E
Servicios de Medicina Interna. Hospital Universitario de Guadalajara. Hospital Ramón y Cajal. Madrid. estebanmartinechevarria@yahoo.es
Pereira Juliá
A
A
Torralba
M
M
Arriola Pereda
G
G
Martín Dávila
P
P
Mateos
J
J
Rodríguez Zapata
M
M
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004363:Drug Utilization / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D007388:Internal Medicine; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010351:Patient Discharge; D054328:Proton Pump Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D054328:Proton Pump Inhibitors