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. 2018 Sep-Oct;71(5):308-315.
Epub 2018 Oct 31.

Evaluation of Prescribing Appropriateness and Initiatives to Improve Prescribing of Proton Pump Inhibitors at Vancouver General Hospital

Andrea Wan  1 , Katelyn Halpape  2 , Shirin C Talkhi  3 , Claire Dixon  3 , Hafeez Dossa  3 , Jenifer Tabamo  4 , Mark Roberts  5 , Karen Dahri  6
Affiliations

Evaluation of Prescribing Appropriateness and Initiatives to Improve Prescribing of Proton Pump Inhibitors at Vancouver General Hospital

Andrea Wan et al. Can J Hosp Pharm. 2018 Sep-Oct.

Abstract
in English, French

Background: Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) have proven clinical efficacy for a variety of indications. However, there is emerging evidence of adverse events associated with their long-term use. The emergence of these adverse events has reinforced the need to regularly evaluate the appropriateness of continuing PPI therapy, and to use only the lowest effective dose for the minimally indicated duration.

Objectives: To characterize the appropriateness of PPI orders continued or initiated in the internal medicine and family practice units of Vancouver General Hospital, to detect adverse events associated with PPI use, and to explore the impact of multidisciplinary teaching and provision of educational resources on health care practitioners' views about PPI use.

Methods: A chart review was conducted for patients admitted (for at least 24 hours) between January 1 and December 31, 2015, for whom a hospital formulary PPI was prescribed. An educational initiative, which included interprofessional in-service sessions, a PPI prescribing infographic, a PPI prescribing card, and a patient counselling sheet, was implemented. The impact of these interventions was assessed using a qualitative survey of health care practitioners.

Results: Of the 258 patients whose charts were reviewed, 175 had a PPI prescription before hospital admission, and 83 were initiated on PPI therapy during their hospital stay. Overall, 94 (36%) of the patients were receiving PPIs without an appropriate indication. Community-acquired pneumonia and Clostridium difficile infections were the most common adverse events potentially associated with PPI use. In-service sessions and educational resources on PPI prescribing were reported to affect the clinical practice of 24 (52%) of the 46 survey respondents.

Conclusions: The results of this study emphasize the need for ongoing re-evaluation of long-term PPI therapy at the time of admission, during the hospital stay, and upon discharge. Implementing multidisciplinary teaching and providing educational resources may encourage more appropriate prescribing.

Contexte: Les inhibiteurs de la pompe à protons (IPP) ont prouvé leur efficacité clinique pour une gamme d’indications. Cependant, de nouvelles données sur leur utilisation à long terme leur imputent des événements indésirables. L’émergence de ces événements indésirables a renforcé l’idée qu’il est nécessaire d’évaluer régulièrement la pertinence d’un traitement prolongé par IPP et d’employer seulement la plus faible dose efficace pendant la durée indiquée la plus courte.

Objectifs: Offrir un portrait de la pertinence des ordonnances d’IPP, renouvelées ou nouvelles, dans les services de médecine interne et de médecine familiale de l’Hôpital général de Vancouver, détecter les événements indésirables liés à l’utilisation des IPP et étudier l’effet qu’ont une formation multidisciplinaire et une fourniture de ressources éducatives sur les points de vue des professionnels de la santé à propos des IPP.

Méthodes: Une analyse rétrospective de dossiers médicaux a été menée auprès de patients qui ont été admis (pendant au moins 24 heures) entre le 1er janvier et le 31 décembre 2015 et qui se sont vu prescrire un IPP inscrit sur la liste des médicaments de l’hôpital. On a mis en place un programme éducatif comprenant des séances de formation interprofessionnelles internes, un document infographique de prescription des IPP, une carte de prescription des IPP et une fiche de conseils aux patients. L’effet de ces interventions a été évalué à l’aide d’une enquête qualitative auprès des professionnels de la santé.

Résultats: Parmi les 258 patients dont le dossier a été examiné, 175 avaient une ordonnance d’IPP avant l’admission à l’hôpital et 83 ont amorcé un traitement par IPP pendant leur séjour. Dans l’ensemble, 94 (36 %) des patients recevaient un IPP sans indication pertinente. Les infections à Clostridium difficile et les pneumonies extra-hospitalières représentaient les événements indésirables les plus courants potentiellement liés à l’utilisation des IPP. On a signalé que les séances de formation interne et les ressources éducatives sur la prescription des IPP avaient eu un effet sur la pratique clinique de 24 (52 %) des 46 participants à l’enquête.

Conclusions: Les résultats de l’étude font ressortir la nécessité d’une réévaluation continuelle des traitements à long terme par IPP au moment de l’admission, pendant le séjour et lors du congé. La mise en place de formation multidisciplinaire et l’offre de ressources éducatives pourraient favoriser des pratiques de prescription plus adéquates.

Keywords: adverse events; prescribing initiatives; proton pump inhibitors.

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Conflict of interest statement

Competing interests: None declared.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Infographic for prescribing proton pump inhibitors (PPIs). © 2016, Vancouver Coastal Health. Reproduced by permission.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Randomization and selection for chart review. IM = internal medicine, FP = family practice, VGH = Vancouver General Hospital.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Orders for proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), categorized by appropriateness. Data in bar graph are expressed as percentages.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Results of a survey of health care providers. Data in bar graph are expressed as percentages (n = 46 respondents).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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