Proton pump inhibitors for prophylaxis of nosocomial upper gastrointestinal tract bleeding: effect of standardized guidelines on prescribing practice.

Background: Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are frequently prescribed for prophylaxis of nosocomial upper gastrointestinal tract bleeding. Some inpatients receiving PPIs may have no risk factors for nosocomial upper gastrointestinal tract bleeding, and PPIs may be continued unnecessarily at hospital discharge. We aimed to assess the effect of standardized guidelines on PPI prescribing practices.

Methods: Guidelines for PPI use were implemented on the medical service at a tertiary center. We reviewed PPI use among inpatient admissions during the month before implementation of guidelines and then prospectively evaluated PPI use among admissions during the month after implementation of guidelines.

Results: Among an overall cohort of 942 patients, 48% were prescribed PPIs while inpatients, and 41% were prescribed PPIs at hospital discharge. Univariate predictors of inpatient PPI use included age, length of hospital stay, history of gastroesophageal reflux disease or upper gastrointestinal tract bleeding, and outpatient PPI, aspirin, or glucocorticoid use. Among patients not on an outpatient regimen of PPIs at admission, implementation of guidelines resulted in lower rates of inpatient PPI use (27% before vs 16% after, P = .001) and PPI prescription at discharge (16% before vs 10% after, P = .03).

Conclusion: Introduction of standardized guidelines resulted in lower rates of PPI use among a subset of inpatients and reduced the rate of PPI prescriptions at discharge.