Proton Pump Inhibitors (PPI): a Study to Improve Appropriate Prescriptions in the Elderly

Proton Pump Inhibitors(PPIs) are the leading evidence-based therapy for upper gastrointestinal disorders and prevention of antiplatelet or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs induced ulcer. In Italy in 2015 nearly 3,5 millions of people were treated with PPI. Despite the extensive literature regarding PPI adverse event, their inappropriate prescription rate is still increasing, and Campania and Lombardy region are at the highest level. For this reason a cluster-randomised controlled trial will be performed, in order to evaluate if a low-cost informative intervention addressed to GPs is effective in improving PPIs prescription in older people. The threshold will be defined according to the distribution of the rate of appropriate PPI prescriptions for a 6 months lag time starting 1 year before randomisation (baseline assessment).