Prescription of proton pump inhibitors in older adults with complex polytherapy.

Objectives: Prescription of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) may be a source of potentially clinically relevant drug-drug interactions (DDIs) and related complications for elderly patients with complex polytherapy at discharge from hospital. The aim of the study was to identify, through the analysis of hospital discharge records, the co-administrations (PPIs + one or more drugs potentially generating DDIs) hypothetically leading to severe consequences according to the literature and online databases. Subsequently, alternatives to PPIs were evaluated for the treatment of gastric acidity and ulcers.